Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Winder, GA: $2,302 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

112

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

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

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Winder, GA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,302

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,302 per month in Winder, GA vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Winder, GA $2,302
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,535 per month in Winder, GA vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Winder, GA $3,535
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,767 per month in Winder, GA vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Winder, GA $4,767
Chicago, IL $5,999

Winder, GA is about 24% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Winder, GA and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Winder, GA by 69%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 $17.82

$20.71 $20.71

-13.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.8 $96.8

$89.2 $89.2

8.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 $10.73

$13.19 $13.19

-18.65%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$5.66 $5.66

-4.42%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.64 $2.64

15.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.28 $2.28

-11.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.87 $6.87

-11.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

$8.84 $8.84

-31.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.25 $1.25

-36.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.72 $3.72

-35.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$5.39 $5.39

-52.50%

Eggs

$3.84 $3.84

$4.74 $4.74

-18.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.37 $12.37

$13.84 $13.84

-10.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 $9.98

$14.40 $14.40

-30.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$18.38 $18.38

-20.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$5.22 $5.22

-50.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.98 $1.98

-37.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.06 $4.06

8.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$4.97 $4.97

-35.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.67 $2.67

-4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.66 $2.66

-31.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.24 $2.24

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$3.13 $3.13

-67.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 $8.33

$13.82 $13.82

-39.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$14.88 $14.88

-80.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.54 $2.54

-36.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.51 $3.51

-50.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.43 $2.43

-10.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.0 $58.0

$73.5 $73.5

-21.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.18 $3.18

13.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.39 $1.39

3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.96 $17.96

$25.03 $25.03

-28.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.20 $1.20

-20.83%

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

$19.2K $19.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-45.13%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-7.99%

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

$145 $145

$194 $194

-25.24%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$69.5 $69.5

-16.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 $61.0

$61.6 $61.6

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.10 $40.10

$47.90 $47.90

-16.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.14 $15.14

$17.81 $17.81

-14.99%

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

$1,690 $1,690

$1,794 $1,794

-5.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,849 $9,849

$31.9K $31.9K

-69.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.60 $40.60

$67.0 $67.0

-39.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.96 $28.96

$52.1 $52.1

-44.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 $88.5

$102 $102

-12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 $96.6

$144 $144

-32.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$2,526 $2,526

-41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 $1,185

$1,578 $1,578

-24.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,504 $2,504

$4,738 $4,738

-47.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,116 $2,116

$2,693 $2,693

-21.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,751 $2,751

$4,190 $4,190

-34.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,017 $2,017

$2,768 $2,768

-27.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,148 $4,148

$4,931 $4,931

-15.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for Winder, GA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Winder, GA

$1.2K 51.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 33.2% $393

Eating Out

Winder, GA

$302 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 14.1% $43

Groceries & Markets

Winder, GA

$288 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 55.4% $159

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Winder, GA

$265 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 23% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Winder, GA

$115 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 43.1% $49

Getting Around

Winder, GA

$77 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 20.6% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Winder, GA

$70 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 18.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,474 in Winder, 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 19% 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 $97 in Winder, GA versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Winder, GA vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Winder, GA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Winder, GA

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:49 2:49 PM

13:49 1:49 PM

1 h behind Winder, GA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,244

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Winder, GA Chicago, IL 940 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Winder, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,302 in Winder, GA, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 32% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,453 per month in Winder, 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 Winder, GA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,474 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 55% 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 $97 in Winder, GA and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,302 in Winder, 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 Winder, 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 Winder, 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.