Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Union City, TN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Union City, TN: $1,653 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Union City, TN
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Union City, TN Living Index
152

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

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Union City, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,653

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,653 per month in Union City, TN vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Union City, TN $1,653
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,486 per month in Union City, TN vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Union City, TN $2,486
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,318 per month in Union City, TN vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Union City, TN $3,318
Chicago, IL $6,115

Union City, TN is about 47% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Union City, TN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Union City, TN by 22%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 $9.87

$20.65 $20.65

-52.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 $50.3

$90.2 $90.2

-44.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 $6.95

$12.94 $12.94

-46.29%

Cappuccino

$3.11 $3.11

$5.60 $5.60

-44.46%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$2.64 $2.64

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.27 $2.27

-31.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 $3.90

$6.98 $6.98

-44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$8.83 $8.83

-55.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.27 $1.27

-27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.80 $3.80

-37.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$5.30 $5.30

-60.94%

Eggs

$2.69 $2.69

$4.76 $4.76

-43.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 $7.88

$13.96 $13.96

-43.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.85 $8.85

$14.61 $14.61

-39.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.69 $18.69

$18.77 $18.77

-0.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$5.19 $5.19

-14.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.98 $1.98

-36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.93 $3.93

-31.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$4.96 $4.96

-10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.76 $2.76

-20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.76 $2.76

-33.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.22 $2.22

-20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.98 $2.98

-53.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 $6.83

$14.02 $14.02

-51.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 $13.97

$15.28 $15.28

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.58 $2.58

-20.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.50 $3.50

-47.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.47 $2.47

-25.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 $4.85

$3.34 $3.34

45.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.43 $1.43

6.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.16 $21.16

$24.32 $24.32

-12.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.26 $1.26

-34.13%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

5.89%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

4.62%

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

$228 $228

$193 $193

18.39%

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

$33.13 $33.13

$68.3 $68.3

-51.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$61.3 $61.3

22.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.53 $41.53

$54.1 $54.1

-23.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.06 $7.06

$27.92 $27.92

-74.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.82 $14.82

$17.74 $17.74

-16.46%

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

$1,465 $1,465

$1,652 $1,652

-11.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.8K $30.8K

$31.1K $31.1K

-0.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$66.1 $66.1

-16.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.06 $43.06

$51.2 $51.2

-15.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 $90.9

$100 $100

-9.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$141 $141

-3.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 $724

$2,446 $2,446

-70.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 $585

$1,678 $1,678

-65.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 $1,155

$4,717 $4,717

-75.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,099 $1,099

$2,795 $2,795

-60.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,327 $2,327

$4,105 $4,105

-43.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,591 $2,591

$2,650 $2,650

-2.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,019 $2,019

$4,866 $4,866

-58.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.81

-3.82%

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

Last update for Union City, TN: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Union City, TN

$585 35.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 187% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Union City, TN

$336 20.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 4.2% $14

Groceries & Markets

Union City, TN

$315 19%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 42.9% $135

Eating Out

Union City, TN

$179 10.9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 91.4% $164

Clothing & Footwear

Union City, TN

$147 8.9%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 10% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Union City, TN

$71 4.3%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 25.9% $18

Getting Around

Union City, TN

$20 * 1.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 379% $75

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $724 in Union City, TN versus $2,446 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 141% 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 $50.0 in Union City, TN versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 vs $449 – making Union City, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Union City, TN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:48 11:48 PM

Same time as Union City, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

63,930

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

Union City, TN Chicago, IL 620 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Union City, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,653 in Union City, TN, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 90% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,479 per month in Union City, TN and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Union City, TN, 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 $50.0 in Union City, TN and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 Union City, TN, where all-in costs run around $1,653, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Union City, TN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,653 in Union City, TN to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Union City, 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.