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Cost of living · head to head

Chicago, IL is approximately 3% pricier than Atlanta, GA, using Atlanta, GA as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Atlanta, GA and Chicago, IL metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Atlanta, GAoverall index
100.1
Chicago, ILoverall index
103.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Atlanta, GA
A salary of $100,000 in Atlanta, GA has approximately the same purchasing power as $103,497 in Chicago, IL, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Chicago, IL is more expensive than Atlanta, GA, so you’d need about $103,497 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Atlanta, GA — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$3,500 more to cover the higher cost of living, not a real raise.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Where the difference lies

The headline gap is 3%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Chicago, IL run 1% higher than in Atlanta, GA (112.0 vs 111.0), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

Category comparison

CategoryAtlanta, GAChicago, ILDifference
Overall100.1103.6+3%
Goods100.4107.3+7%
Housing rents111.0112.0+1%
Utilities96.283.6-13%
Other services96.7100.5+4%

Chicago, IL differs from Atlanta, GA the most in utilities — about 13% lower in Chicago, IL — while the closest is housing rents.

Estimated salary equivalent in Chicago, IL

$50,000 in Atlanta, GA$51,748
$75,000 in Atlanta, GA$77,622
$100,000 in Atlanta, GA$103,497
$150,000 in Atlanta, GA$155,245
$200,000 in Atlanta, GA$206,993

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Chicago, IL, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Atlanta, GA.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Common questions

Is Chicago, IL cheaper than Atlanta, GA?

No — Chicago, IL has an overall cost-of-living index of 103.6 versus 100.1 for Atlanta, GA, making it about 3% more expensive.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Atlanta, GA if you moved to Chicago, IL?

About $103,497, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Atlanta, GA has approximately the same purchasing power as $103,497 in Chicago, IL. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Chicago, IL than in Atlanta, GA?

Housing rents in Chicago, IL score 112.0 versus 111.0 in Atlanta, GA — about 1% more expensive. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Atlanta, GA and Chicago, IL?

Overall, Chicago, IL is about 3% pricier than Atlanta, GA (index 103.6 vs 100.1), with housing 1% higher. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.