Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,698 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Austin, TX $2,698
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Austin, TX $4,160
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Austin, TX $5,622
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Austin, TX costs roughly 14% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$20.65 $20.65

-0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$90.2 $90.2

-6.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$12.94 $12.94

-6.72%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$5.60 $5.60

-2.14%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.64 $2.64

43.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.27 $2.27

8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$6.98 $6.98

15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$8.83 $8.83

0.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.27 $1.27

-12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.80 $3.80

-2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.30 $5.30

-36.42%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.76 $4.76

-9.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$13.96 $13.96

-5.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$14.61 $14.61

-3.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$18.77 $18.77

-13.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.19 $5.19

-12.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.93 $3.93

19.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.96 $4.96

-16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.76 $2.76

-6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.76 $2.76

-14.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.22 $2.22

-20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.98 $2.98

-28.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$14.02 $14.02

-27.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$15.28 $15.28

-0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.58 $2.58

9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.50 $3.50

-1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.47 $2.47

-37.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$74.8 $74.8

-45.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.34 $3.34

-16.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.43 $1.43

11.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$24.32 $24.32

41.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.26 $1.26

-25.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.0K $34.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-2.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.66%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$223 $223

$193 $193

15.54%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.9 $58.9

$68.3 $68.3

-13.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$61.3 $61.3

15.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$54.1 $54.1

6.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$27.92 $27.92

-40.80%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$17.74 $17.74

-19.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,511 $1,511

$1,652 $1,652

-8.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$31.1K $31.1K

-32.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$66.1 $66.1

-22.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$51.2 $51.2

-13.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$100 $100

-13.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$141 $141

-25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,446 $2,446

-20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$1,678 $1,678

-21.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$4,717 $4,717

-22.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$2,795 $2,795

-8.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$4,105 $4,105

79.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$2,650 $2,650

18.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$4,866 $4,866

8.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.81

-0.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 27.5% $361

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 10.7% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 8.5% $30

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 1.9% $6.6

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 25% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 3.9% $3.4

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 64.2% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $449 per month, with Austin, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:36 7:36 AM

Same time as Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Chicago, IL 1,580 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Austin, TX vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 82% less than in Chicago, IL. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Austin, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,698 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Austin, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.