$2033 | $4608 |
$788 | $2491 |
$1246 | $2117 |
$570 | $1477 |
$83.4 | $214 |
$3357 | |
78 | |
181K |
The average cost of living in Chattanooga is $2033, which is in the top 5% of the most expensive cities in the world, ranked 470th out of 9294 in our global list, 371st out of 2202 in the United States, and 4th out of 33 in Tennessee.
The median after-tax salary is $3357, which is enough to cover living expenses for 1.7 months. Ranked 443rd (TOP 5%) in the list of best places to live in the world and 93rd best city to live in the United States, and 3rd most liveable city in Tennessee. With an estimated population of 181K, Chattanooga is the 151st largest city in the United States.
6 km | Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) |
Moderate | 12.6 µg/m³ |
1426 | University of Tennessee - Chattanooga |
Housing (Buy and Rent)
Housing is the most significant expense for most American households. The cost of living in a certain city takes into account both the price of rent and the price of a home. The average monthly rent in Chattanooga is $1,328, while home prices circle around $367,507.
Average Monthly Rent $1,328
Home Price $367,507
Mortgage Rate 2.98%
- 1-3 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 824 - 1,641 Sq.Ft.
$1,400 - $2,598
- 1-3 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 816 - 1,378 Sq.Ft.
$1,384 - $2,746
- 1-2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 732 - 1,005 Sq.Ft.
$1,190 - $1,335
- 1-3 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 560 - 1,352 Sq.Ft.
$1,406 - $3,820
- 1-3 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 736 - 1,278 Sq.Ft.
$1,502 - $2,137
- Studio-2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 590 - 1,180 Sq.Ft.
17 Broad
1701 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37408
$1,180 - $2,273
- 1-3 Beds
- 1-3 Baths
- 735 - 1,910 Sq.Ft.
$1,325 - $1,874
- 1-2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 750 - 1,100 Sq.Ft.
$1,100 - $1,200
- 1-3 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 700 - 1,428 Sq.Ft.
$1,075 - $2,344
- 1-3 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
- 687 - 1,244 Sq.Ft.
$1,055 - $2,260
Utilities (Monthly)
Both owning and renting come with utility expenses. These costs include basic services such as energy and telecommunications. In Chattanooga, energy bills cost around $140.69 per month.
Energy $140.69
Phone $189.18
Food
Food is the most important necessity and its cost varies around the country. This section includes the prices of everyday foods such as produce, meat and dairy. A bottle of milk costs about $2.19 in Chattanooga, a dozen eggs go for around $1.73 and a pound of potatoes circles around $4.53.
Bread $3.85
Milk (1 gallon) $2.19
Eggs (dozen) $1.73
Cheese $3.78
Steak $13.41
Ground beef $4.98
Potatoes $4.53
Lettuce $1.69
Bananas $0.56
Orange juice $3.74
Coffee $4.06
Sugar $2.22
Cooking $4.97
Frozen meal $2.59
Potato chips $2.97
Soft drink $1.97
Healthcare
The benchmark for this category is based on the prices of family doctor visits and specialized services such as optometry. In Chattanooga, an optometry check-up costs around $96.25, while a dentist appointment is priced $92.00 on average.
Doctor $121.35
Dentist $92.00
Optometrist $96.25
Ibuprofen $9.80
Transportation
Transportation expenses depend on multiple factors, with fuel being the most important. A gallon of gas is priced around $2.54 in Chattanooga, while getting your tires balanced will run you about $47.90.
Gasoline (1 gallon) $2.54
Tire balance $47.90
Goods & Services
The cost of clothing tells you how much more or less money you need to buy basic items such as jeans, shirts or slacks in a new city. A men's shirt costs around $25.86 here. Meanwhile, a pair of women's slacks will set you back around $27.57.
Men's shirt $25.86
Women’s slacks $27.57
Boy's jeans $20.52
The cost of entertainment and everyday services is based on common expenses in each category. For a movie ticket in Chattanooga, you should budget around $12.08 a month. When it comes to personal services, a haircut usually goes for $15.00, while dry cleaning costs about $13.95.
Movie ticket $12.08
Yoga $15.65
Newspaper $29.00
Haircut $15.00
Beauty salon $41.75
Dry cleaning $13.95
Income
What is a cost of living calculator?
The cost of living calculator tells you how much money you need to maintain your current standard of living in a different city. The cost of living comparison is based on your income and the price of basic necessities such as housing, transportation or food in the two cities you selected. Use the calculator to find out what income you will need in a new city and how much more or less you’ll need to budget for basic expenses.
Where does the data come from?
Consumer goods, services and home prices are sourced from The Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).
The data on this page is updated bi-annually and it was last published in September
2022.
Average rent data is our in-house proprietary data from Yardi Matrix, where available. For the remaining locations, C2ER rent data was used. Yardi Matrix is a business development and asset management tool for brokers, sponsors, banks and equity sources underwriting investments in the multifamily, office, industrial and self-storage sectors, a division of Yardi Systems, Inc.
Household income data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent estimates.