Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kennesaw, GA and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Kennesaw, GA: $1,264 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $21,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Kennesaw, GA
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Kennesaw, GA Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Kennesaw, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,264

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kennesaw, GA and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kennesaw, GA and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Kennesaw, GA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kennesaw, GA $1,264
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $1,973 per month in Kennesaw, GA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kennesaw, GA $1,973
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $2,682 per month in Kennesaw, GA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kennesaw, GA $2,682
Chicago, IL $5,999

Kennesaw, GA is about 58% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Kennesaw, GA sits 7% below the global median, while Chicago, IL is 123% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.21 $16.21

$20.71 $20.71

-21.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 $64.5

$89.2 $89.2

-27.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.52 $8.52

$13.19 $13.19

-35.41%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$5.66 $5.66

-8.83%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.64 $2.64

-2.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.28 $2.28

-46.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 $4.88

$6.87 $6.87

-28.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$8.84 $8.84

-32.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.25 $1.25

-23.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.72 $3.72

-19.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$5.39 $5.39

-63.82%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$4.74 $4.74

-12.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 $9.62

$13.84 $13.84

-30.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.34 $10.34

$14.40 $14.40

-28.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.19 $15.19

$18.38 $18.38

-17.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$5.22 $5.22

20.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.98 $1.98

-31.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.82 $7.82

$4.06 $4.06

92.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$4.97 $4.97

12.07%

Potato (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.67 $2.67

59.18%

Onion (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.66 $2.66

96.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.24 $2.24

26.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.13 $3.13

-9.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.56 $8.56

$13.82 $13.82

-38.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$14.88 $14.88

-1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.54 $2.54

-4.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$3.51 $3.51

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.18 $3.18

-8.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.39 $1.39

12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$25.03 $25.03

20.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.20 $1.20

-35.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K $26.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-24.03%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.21%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$282 $282

$194 $194

45.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$57.6 $57.6

$69.5 $69.5

-17.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 $52.4

$61.6 $61.6

-15.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.76 $15.76

$17.81 $17.81

-11.51%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,371 $1,371

$1,794 $1,794

-23.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K $18.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-42.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$67.0 $67.0

-13.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 $38.83

$52.1 $52.1

-25.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$102 $102

8.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$144 $144

-4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$2,526 $2,526

-37.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 $2,085

$4,738 $4,738

-55.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,145 $8,145

$4,931 $4,931

65.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.81

-1.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kennesaw, GA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kennesaw, GA

$406 32.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.1% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kennesaw, GA

$392 31%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 17% $67

Eating Out

Kennesaw, GA

$269 21.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 28.4% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Kennesaw, GA

$155 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 5.6% $8.8

Sport & Entertainment

Kennesaw, GA

$32 * 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 165% $52

Getting Around

Kennesaw, GA

$11 * 0.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 769% $83

Accommodation & Living

Kennesaw, GA

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,576 in Kennesaw, GA versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 65% higher in Kennesaw, GA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Kennesaw, GA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $447 – making Kennesaw, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kennesaw, GA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:38 4:38 PM

15:38 3:38 PM

1 h behind Kennesaw, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,344

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Kennesaw, GA Chicago, IL 910 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Kennesaw, GA
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kennesaw, GA vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,264 in Kennesaw, GA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Kennesaw, GA comes out roughly 58% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,897 per month in Kennesaw, GA and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kennesaw, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,576 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Kennesaw, GA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,264 in Kennesaw, GA and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kennesaw, GA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.