Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Valdosta, GA: $1,637 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Valdosta, GA
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Valdosta, GA Living Index
146

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

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Valdosta, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,637

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,637 per month in Valdosta, GA vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Valdosta, GA $1,637
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $2,944 per month in Valdosta, GA vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Valdosta, GA $2,944
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,250 per month in Valdosta, GA vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Valdosta, GA $4,250
Chicago, IL $6,019

Valdosta, GA is about 47% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Valdosta, GA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Valdosta, GA by 21%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.74 $16.74

$20.39 $20.39

-17.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 $71.1

$88.6 $88.6

-19.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$12.85 $12.85

-23.50%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$5.78 $5.78

-13.15%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$2.74 $2.74

-9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.26 $2.26

-24.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$6.88 $6.88

-26.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$9.24 $9.24

-33.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.26 $1.26

-36.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.55 $3.55

-5.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$5.38 $5.38

-43.68%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$4.55 $4.55

12.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$13.65 $13.65

-59.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.79 $9.79

$14.07 $14.07

-30.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.71 $16.71

$18.06 $18.06

-7.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$5.16 $5.16

-30.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.98 $1.98

-42.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$3.88 $3.88

-45.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$4.83 $4.83

-43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.81 $2.81

-22.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.67 $2.67

16.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.07 $2.07

-19.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.03 $3.03

-49.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.80 $8.80

$13.90 $13.90

-36.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.21 $18.21

$15.05 $15.05

21.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.63 $2.63

-13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.43 $2.43

22.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 $88.6

$75.3 $75.3

17.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.17 $3.17

4.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.70 $1.70

30.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.56 $23.56

$24.90 $24.90

-5.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.28 $1.28

-32.81%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

-22.80%

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

$22.4K $22.4K

$26.8K $26.8K

-16.49%

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

$121 $121

$192 $192

-37.14%

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

$45.18 $45.18

$69.6 $69.6

-35.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$62.2 $62.2

0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.15 $25.15

$47.79 $47.79

-47.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 $5.85

$27.10 $27.10

-78.41%

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 $12.23

$17.83 $17.83

-31.41%

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

$674 $674

$1,815 $1,815

-62.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K $12.7K

$40.6K $40.6K

-68.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.18 $47.18

$66.2 $66.2

-28.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.70 $29.70

$51.4 $51.4

-42.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 $94.6

$103 $103

-8.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$143 $143

4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,245 $1,245

$2,531 $2,531

-50.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 $493

$1,621 $1,621

-69.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 $1,897

$4,828 $4,828

-60.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 $1,650

$2,734 $2,734

-39.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,677 $1,677

$4,163 $4,163

-59.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,736 $1,736

$2,723 $2,723

-36.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,416 $3,416

$4,924 $4,924

-30.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

6.78

-1.33%

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

Last update for Valdosta, GA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Valdosta, GA

$493 30.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 229% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Valdosta, GA

$329 20.1%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 33.6% $111

Eating Out

Valdosta, GA

$278 17%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 23.7% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Valdosta, GA

$228 14%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 41.8% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Valdosta, GA

$145 8.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 13.2% $19

Getting Around

Valdosta, GA

$115 7%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 15.8% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Valdosta, GA

$50 3%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 68.2% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,245 in Valdosta, GA versus $2,531 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 44% 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 $71 in Valdosta, GA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $439 – making Valdosta, GA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Valdosta, GA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:55 9:55 AM

08:55 8:55 AM

1 h behind Valdosta, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,426

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Valdosta, GA Chicago, IL 1,290 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Valdosta, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,637 in Valdosta, GA, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Valdosta, GA comes out roughly 47% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,456 per month in Valdosta, GA and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valdosta, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,245 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Valdosta, GA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Valdosta, GA, where all-in costs run around $1,637, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Valdosta, GA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Valdosta, 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 Valdosta, 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.