Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Marietta, GA: $2,721 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

130

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

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

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Marietta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,721

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,721 per month in Marietta, GA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Marietta, GA $2,721
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,002 per month in Marietta, GA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Marietta, GA $4,002
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,282 per month in Marietta, GA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Marietta, GA $5,282
Chicago, IL $5,999

Marietta, GA is about 10% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Marietta, GA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Marietta, GA by 100%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.30 $20.30

$20.71 $20.71

-1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$89.2 $89.2

14.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$13.19 $13.19

-9.25%

Cappuccino

$5.43 $5.43

$5.66 $5.66

-4.06%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$2.64 $2.64

7.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.28 $2.28

-3.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 $6.45

$6.87 $6.87

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.84 $8.84

-9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.25 $1.25

-27.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.72 $3.72

-4.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$5.39 $5.39

-28.20%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$4.74 $4.74

-11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 $13.88

$13.84 $13.84

0.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$14.40 $14.40

1.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.09 $19.09

$18.38 $18.38

3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$5.22 $5.22

11.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.06 $4.06

8.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$4.97 $4.97

8.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.67 $2.67

6.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.66 $2.66

-2.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.24 $2.24

-0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.13 $3.13

-13.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.03 $9.03

$13.82 $13.82

-34.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 $13.78

$14.88 $14.88

-7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.54 $2.54

-20.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.51 $3.51

0.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.43 $2.43

4.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 $80.0

$73.5 $73.5

8.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.18 $3.18

12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.39 $1.39

5.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.55 $23.55

$25.03 $25.03

-5.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.20 $1.20

-24.17%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

3.29%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.78%

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

$220 $220

$194 $194

13.07%

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

$82.6 $82.6

$69.5 $69.5

18.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.9 $74.9

$61.6 $61.6

21.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.6 $82.6

$47.90 $47.90

72.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.38 $23.38

$27.34 $27.34

-14.48%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 $11.98

$17.81 $17.81

-32.73%

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

$1,103 $1,103

$1,794 $1,794

-38.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

-29.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$67.0 $67.0

-20.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.45 $45.45

$52.1 $52.1

-12.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$102 $102

-4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$144 $144

-24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 $1,358

$2,526 $2,526

-46.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 $1,235

$1,578 $1,578

-21.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,386 $2,386

$4,738 $4,738

-49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,901 $1,901

$2,693 $2,693

-29.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,747 $2,747

$4,190 $4,190

-34.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 $1,977

$2,768 $2,768

-28.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,986 $3,986

$4,931 $4,931

-19.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.81

-2.64%

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

Last update for Marietta, GA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Marietta, GA

$1.2K 45.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 27.7% $343

Groceries & Markets

Marietta, GA

$432 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 3.5% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Marietta, GA

$377 13.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 13.7% $52

Eating Out

Marietta, GA

$332 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 4% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Marietta, GA

$137 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 19.8% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Marietta, GA

$107 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 21.6% $23

Getting Around

Marietta, GA

$101 3.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 7.6% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,358 in Marietta, 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 24% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Marietta, GA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $432 in Marietta, GA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Marietta, GA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Marietta, GA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:23 10:23 PM

21:23 9:23 PM

1 h behind Marietta, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

61,048

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Marietta, GA Chicago, IL 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Marietta, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,721 in Marietta, GA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Marietta, GA comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,082 per month in Marietta, 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 Marietta, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,358 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Marietta, GA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,721 in Marietta, 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 Marietta, GA – 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 Marietta, GA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.