Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingsport, TN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Kingsport, TN: $1,973 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Kingsport, TN
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Kingsport, TN Living Index
147

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

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Kingsport, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,973

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kingsport, TN 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 Kingsport, TN and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,973 per month in Kingsport, TN vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kingsport, TN $1,973
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,211 per month in Kingsport, TN vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kingsport, TN $3,211
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,448 per month in Kingsport, TN vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Kingsport, TN $4,448
Chicago, IL $5,999

Kingsport, TN is about 35% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kingsport, TN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Kingsport, TN by 45%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.69 $17.69

$20.71 $20.71

-14.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 $55.9

$89.2 $89.2

-37.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 $11.18

$13.19 $13.19

-15.24%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$5.66 $5.66

-11.13%

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

$2.26 $2.26

$2.64 $2.64

-14.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.28 $2.28

-17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 $4.38

$6.87 $6.87

-36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$8.84 $8.84

-18.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.25 $1.25

-29.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.72 $3.72

-28.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$5.39 $5.39

-58.07%

Eggs

$3.41 $3.41

$4.74 $4.74

-28.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$13.84 $13.84

0.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.54 $8.54

$14.40 $14.40

-40.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.03 $17.03

$18.38 $18.38

-7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$5.22 $5.22

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.98 $1.98

-39.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.06 $4.06

-7.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$4.97 $4.97

-5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.67 $2.67

-12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.66 $2.66

16.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.24 $2.24

-5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.13 $3.13

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 $8.10

$13.82 $13.82

-41.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 $9.87

$14.88 $14.88

-33.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.54 $2.54

-31.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 $4.72

$3.51 $3.51

34.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 $0.61

$1.39 $1.39

-56.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.20 $1.20

-27.50%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

4.17%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.68%

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

$122 $122

$194 $194

-37.29%

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

$49.80 $49.80

$69.5 $69.5

-28.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$61.6 $61.6

5.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.65 $41.65

$47.90 $47.90

-13.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 $12.30

$17.81 $17.81

-30.94%

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

$568 $568

$1,794 $1,794

-68.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.12 $44.12

$67.0 $67.0

-34.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 $34.51

$52.1 $52.1

-33.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 $91.1

$102 $102

-10.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$144 $144

-23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 $1,093

$2,526 $2,526

-56.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 $902

$1,578 $1,578

-42.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 $2,427

$4,738 $4,738

-48.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 $2,064

$2,693 $2,693

-23.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,887 $1,887

$4,190 $4,190

-54.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,890 $1,890

$2,768 $2,768

-31.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,740 $3,740

$4,931 $4,931

-24.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.81

-0.29%

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

Last update for Kingsport, TN: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kingsport, TN

$902 45.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 75% $676

Groceries & Markets

Kingsport, TN

$351 17.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 27.3% $96

Eating Out

Kingsport, TN

$288 14.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 19.6% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kingsport, TN

$237 12%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 37.4% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Kingsport, TN

$126 6.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 30% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Kingsport, TN

$66 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 26.1% $17

Getting Around

Kingsport, TN

$3 * 0.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 2982% $90

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,093 in Kingsport, TN 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 32% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Kingsport, TN versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $447 – making Kingsport, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Kingsport, TN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:03 12:03 PM

11:03 11:03 AM

1 h behind Kingsport, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

53,014

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Kingsport, TN Chicago, IL 740 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Kingsport, TN
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

Kingsport, TN vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,973 in Kingsport, TN, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 54% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,960 per month in Kingsport, TN 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 Kingsport, TN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,093 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Kingsport, TN 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 27% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kingsport, TN, where all-in costs run around $1,973, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Kingsport, TN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Kingsport, TN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.