Chattanooga, Tennessee
Living in Chattanooga, Tennessee is about 10% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 90 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,509 a month, 22% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.57 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 40% of the area's $72,568 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.57
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,509
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$12.50
Combo meal
Electricity
13.42¢
per kWh · ~$121/mo
Car Insurance
$139/mo
$1,662/yr
Median Household Income
$72,568
39.8% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,662 in Chattanooga. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,509/mo in Chattanooga. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
$1.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$3.19 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.49 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$5.32 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.69 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.19 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$3.59 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$3.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
$3.79 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
$6.49 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
$5.00 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
$5.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$3.19 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.49 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$3.49 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$4.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$5.32 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.69 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.19 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$3.59 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$3.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$3.79 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$6.49 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$5.99 @ Kroger - Whitfield Square (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$12.50
Casual Dining
$21.00
Monthly Spend
$315
+5.2% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $6.99
$11.27
+61.2%Wendy's
2022: $7.89
$12.17
+54.2%Chipotle
2022: $8.45
$12.62
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $3.80
$5.28
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Chattanooga?
Average 1BR: $1,237/mo · 2BR: $1,781/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
221k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,269
$66k/yr
Top Sector
Trade, Transportation & Utilities
Household vs Worker Pay
$73k
household median
Employment by Sector — Chattanooga
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$58k/yr
~$66k/yr
~$75k/yr
~$70k/yr
~$26k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 47065
Highest Paying Sector
Financial Activities
$1,842/wk · $96k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$509/wk · $26k/yr
Chattanooga Cost of Living FAQ
Is Chattanooga, TN expensive to live in?
Chattanooga has a cost of living index of 90, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 10% cheaper than average. It is the 2nd most affordable of the 14 Tennessee cities we track.
What is the average rent in Chattanooga, TN?
Typical rent in Chattanooga is $1,509 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 22% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,237 and two bedrooms about $1,781. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Chattanooga?
Rent in Chattanooga rose 2.4% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Chattanooga?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.57 a gallon in Chattanooga as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Tennessee. That is 10% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Chattanooga?
Homes in Tennessee pay an average of 13.4 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Chattanooga is about $121.
How much is car insurance in Chattanooga?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,662 a year in Tennessee, or about $139 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Chattanooga?
Median household income in the Chattanooga area is $72,568 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $28,866 a year, or 40% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,502 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Chattanooga compare with the rest of Tennessee?
Rent in Chattanooga is about the same as the $1,496 average across the 14 Tennessee cities we track, and its cost of living index of 90 compares with a state average of 92.
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