Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Memphis, TN: $2,501 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Memphis, TN
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Memphis, TN Living Index
153

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

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Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,501

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,501 per month in Memphis, TN vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Memphis, TN $2,501
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,673 per month in Memphis, TN vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Memphis, TN $3,673
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,844 per month in Memphis, TN vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Memphis, TN $4,844
Chicago, IL $6,077

Memphis, TN is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Memphis, TN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Memphis, TN by 85%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 $17.99

$21.58 $21.58

-16.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$88.7 $88.7

-15.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$13.20 $13.20

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$5.59 $5.59

1.61%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$2.63 $2.63

-8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.26 $2.26

-11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 $7.12

$7.11 $7.11

0.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.23 $9.23

-13.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.28 $1.28

-26.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.84 $3.84

-17.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$5.07 $5.07

-21.89%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$4.84 $4.84

-22.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$14.17 $14.17

-6.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$14.61 $14.61

-21.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.84 $18.84

$18.76 $18.76

0.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$5.19 $5.19

9.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.00 $2.00

-14.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$4.00 $4.00

42.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.79 $2.79

12.54%

Onion (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.65 $2.65

57.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.13 $2.13

23.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.09 $3.09

-30.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 $10.87

$16.05 $16.05

-32.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.94 $12.94

$15.20 $15.20

-14.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.62 $2.62

-32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.46 $3.46

-53.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.47 $2.47

-58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.55 $38.55

$75.1 $75.1

-48.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.21 $3.21

-37.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.39 $1.39

1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.36 $20.36

$25.02 $25.02

-18.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.24 $1.24

-17.74%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$37.2K $37.2K

0.45%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

4.88%

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

$187 $187

$192 $192

-2.67%

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

$86.3 $86.3

$67.8 $67.8

27.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$60.9 $60.9

24.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.47 $31.47

$53.6 $53.6

-41.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 $16.62

$27.90 $27.90

-40.43%

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$17.80 $17.80

-17.08%

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

$1,720 $1,720

$1,554 $1,554

10.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K $24.8K

$31.4K $31.4K

-20.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.08 $47.08

$67.9 $67.9

-30.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.58 $33.58

$50.8 $50.8

-33.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 $82.2

$101 $101

-18.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$143 $143

8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 $1,448

$2,383 $2,383

-39.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 $1,175

$1,712 $1,712

-31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,073 $2,073

$4,674 $4,674

-55.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,900 $1,900

$2,738 $2,738

-30.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,755 $1,755

$4,158 $4,158

-57.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,351 $1,351

$2,691 $2,691

-49.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,523 $3,523

$4,894 $4,894

-28.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.77

-2.51%

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

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Memphis, TN

$1.2K 47%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 45.7% $537

Groceries & Markets

Memphis, TN

$404 16.1%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 11.8% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Memphis, TN

$349 14%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 8.1% $28

Eating Out

Memphis, TN

$318 12.7%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 11.1% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Memphis, TN

$143 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 14.1% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Memphis, TN

$61 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 46.2% $28

Getting Around

Memphis, TN

$52 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 83.9% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,448 in Memphis, TN versus $2,383 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 39% 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 $74.0 in Memphis, TN versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $451 – making Memphis, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

17:57 5:57 PM

Same time as Memphis, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

633,104

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Memphis, TN Chicago, IL 780 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Memphis, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,501 in Memphis, TN, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,752 per month in Memphis, TN and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Memphis, TN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Memphis, TN and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,501 in Memphis, TN and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,501 in Memphis, TN to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Memphis, 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.