Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Smyrna, GA: $2,874 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Smyrna, GA
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Smyrna, GA Living Index
152

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

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Smyrna, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,874

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,874 per month in Smyrna, GA vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Smyrna, GA $2,874
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $4,021 per month in Smyrna, GA vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Smyrna, GA $4,021
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $5,169 per month in Smyrna, GA vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Smyrna, GA $5,169
Chicago, IL $6,077

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

Both Smyrna, GA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Smyrna, GA by 112%, Chicago, IL by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.02 $17.02

$20.65 $20.65

-17.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 $63.0

$90.2 $90.2

-30.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 $10.63

$12.94 $12.94

-17.85%

Cappuccino

$5.69 $5.69

$5.60 $5.60

1.61%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.64 $2.64

5.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.27 $2.27

-12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$6.98 $6.98

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$8.83 $8.83

-8.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.27 $1.27

-29.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.80 $3.80

-24.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$5.30 $5.30

-32.45%

Eggs

$3.48 $3.48

$4.76 $4.76

-26.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.02 $14.02

$13.96 $13.96

0.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.18 $11.18

$14.61 $14.61

-23.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 $14.56

$18.77 $18.77

-22.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$5.19 $5.19

12.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.98 $1.98

-31.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$3.93 $3.93

48.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.96 $4.96

-2.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.76 $2.76

30.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.76 $2.76

-6.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.22 $2.22

-0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.98 $2.98

-30.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 $8.89

$14.02 $14.02

-36.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 $18.60

$15.28 $15.28

21.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.58 $2.58

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.50 $3.50

40.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.47 $2.47

3.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.34 $3.34

5.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.43 $1.43

2.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.95 $23.95

$24.32 $24.32

-1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.26 $1.26

-23.81%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-6.49%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.66%

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

$250 $250

$193 $193

29.84%

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

$54.7 $54.7

$68.3 $68.3

-19.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.8 $79.8

$61.3 $61.3

30.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$197 $197

$54.1 $54.1

264.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.09 $14.09

$27.92 $27.92

-49.53%

Cinema Ticket

$17.27 $17.27

$17.74 $17.74

-2.65%

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

$1,035 $1,035

$1,652 $1,652

-37.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K $19.7K

$31.1K $31.1K

-36.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$66.1 $66.1

-18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 $45.06

$51.2 $51.2

-12.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 $82.5

$100 $100

-17.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 $87.0

$141 $141

-38.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 $1,674

$2,446 $2,446

-31.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 $1,412

$1,678 $1,678

-15.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,958 $2,958

$4,717 $4,717

-37.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,105 $2,105

$2,795 $2,795

-24.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,441 $2,441

$4,105 $4,105

-40.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 $2,095

$2,650 $2,650

-20.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,346 $4,346

$4,866 $4,866

-10.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.81

-3.96%

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

Last update for Smyrna, GA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Smyrna, GA

$1.4K 49.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 18.8% $265

Groceries & Markets

Smyrna, GA

$397 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 13.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Smyrna, GA

$385 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 16.2% $62

Eating Out

Smyrna, GA

$306 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 12.3% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Smyrna, GA

$232 8.1%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 61.3% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Smyrna, GA

$121 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 33.4% $40

Getting Around

Smyrna, GA

$21 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 351% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,674 in Smyrna, GA 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 13% 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 $63.0 in Smyrna, GA versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $451 – making Smyrna, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Smyrna, GA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:18 6:18 AM

05:18 5:18 AM

1 h behind Smyrna, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,371

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Smyrna, GA Chicago, IL 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Smyrna, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,874 in Smyrna, GA, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,310 per month in Smyrna, GA 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 Smyrna, GA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Smyrna, GA and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,874 in Smyrna, GA 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 $2,874 in Smyrna, GA to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Smyrna, GA. 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.