Head to head
Atlanta, GA vs Chicago, IL
Chicago is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $94/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $2,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Atlanta is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Atlanta66 | Chicago61 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $4,387 | $4,293 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $9,218 | $9,545 |
| Salary for comfort | $83,000/yr | $81,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,820 | $1,781 |
| Median home value | $420,600 | $315,200 |
| Median household income | $81,938 | $75,134 |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 5.9% |
| Housing score | 47 | 52 |
| Jobs score | 86 | 7 |
| Safety score | 26 | 66 |
| Climate score | 100 | 89 |
| Amenities score | 68 | 73 |
| Population | 499.3K | 2.7M |
| Summer high / winter low | 90° / 33° | 85° / 21° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Atlanta, GA
Chicago, IL