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Cost of living · head to head

Atlanta, GA is approximately 3% cheaper than Chicago, IL, using Chicago, IL 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 Chicago, IL and Atlanta, GA metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Chicago, ILoverall index
103.6
Atlanta, GAoverall index
100.1
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Chicago, IL
A salary of $100,000 in Chicago, IL has approximately the same purchasing power as $96,622 in Atlanta, GA, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Atlanta, GA is cheaper than Chicago, IL, so you’d only need about $96,622 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Chicago, IL — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$3,400 less you’d need to earn, not a step down.
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 Atlanta, GA run 1% lower than in Chicago, IL (111.0 vs 112.0), 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

CategoryChicago, ILAtlanta, GADifference
Overall103.6100.1-3%
Goods107.3100.4-6%
Housing rents112.0111.0-1%
Utilities83.696.2+15%
Other services100.596.7-4%

Atlanta, GA differs from Chicago, IL the most in utilities — about 15% higher in Atlanta, GA — while the closest is housing rents.

Estimated salary equivalent in Atlanta, GA

$50,000 in Chicago, IL$48,311
$75,000 in Chicago, IL$72,466
$100,000 in Chicago, IL$96,622
$150,000 in Chicago, IL$144,932
$200,000 in Chicago, IL$193,243

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

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 Atlanta, GA cheaper than Chicago, IL?

Yes — Atlanta, GA has an overall cost-of-living index of 100.1 versus 103.6 for Chicago, IL, making it about 3% cheaper.

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

About $96,622, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Chicago, IL has approximately the same purchasing power as $96,622 in Atlanta, GA. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

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

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

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

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