Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bryan, TX: $2,578 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

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

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

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Bryan, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,578

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bryan, 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 Bryan, TX and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,578 in Bryan, TX versus $3,139 in Chicago, IL.

Bryan, TX $2,578
Chicago, IL $3,139

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,745 in Bryan, TX versus $4,627 in Chicago, IL.

Bryan, TX $3,745
Chicago, IL $4,627

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,913 in Bryan, TX versus $6,115 in Chicago, IL.

Bryan, TX $4,913
Chicago, IL $6,115

Living in Bryan, TX costs roughly 18% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bryan, TX 90% above, Chicago, IL 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.66 $18.66

$20.65 $20.65

-9.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 $74.6

$90.2 $90.2

-17.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 $10.81

$12.94 $12.94

-16.46%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$5.60 $5.60

-10.18%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$2.64 $2.64

-1.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.27 $2.27

-11.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$6.98 $6.98

-14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 $7.16

$8.83 $8.83

-18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.27 $1.27

-21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.80 $3.80

-5.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$5.30 $5.30

-20.38%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$4.76 $4.76

-14.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$13.96 $13.96

-10.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$14.61 $14.61

-23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$18.77 $18.77

-16.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.19 $5.19

-6.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.98 $1.98

-17.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.93 $3.93

6.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.96 $4.96

-7.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.76 $2.76

5.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.76 $2.76

0.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.22 $2.22

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.98 $2.98

-26.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.71 $9.71

$14.02 $14.02

-30.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.28 $15.28

-9.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.58 $2.58

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.50 $3.50

-1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.47 $2.47

-18.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.34 $3.34

6.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.43 $1.43

11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.64 $29.64

$24.32 $24.32

21.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.26 $1.26

-32.54%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-13.83%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.35%

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

$188 $188

$193 $193

-2.27%

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

$53.3 $53.3

$68.3 $68.3

-21.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$61.3 $61.3

11.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.09 $43.09

$54.1 $54.1

-20.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.62 $13.62

$17.74 $17.74

-23.22%

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

$1,314 $1,314

$1,652 $1,652

-20.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$31.1K $31.1K

-24.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$66.1 $66.1

-21.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.14 $40.14

$51.2 $51.2

-21.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 $85.0

$100 $100

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$141 $141

-20.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$2,446 $2,446

-35.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$1,678 $1,678

-19.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$4,717 $4,717

-43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,206 $2,206

$2,795 $2,795

-21.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,719 $2,719

$4,105 $4,105

-33.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,396 $2,396

$2,650 $2,650

-9.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for Bryan, TX: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bryan, TX

$1.4K 52.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 23.5% $319

Groceries & Markets

Bryan, TX

$385 14.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 16.8% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bryan, TX

$310 12%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 4% $12

Eating Out

Bryan, TX

$305 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 12.7% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Bryan, TX

$130 5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 24% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Bryan, TX

$70 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 27.4% $19

Getting Around

Bryan, TX

$20 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 385% $76

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,587 in Bryan, TX and $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $75.0 in Bryan, TX vs $90.0 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $449 per month, with Bryan, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bryan, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

05:16 5:16 AM

Same time as Bryan, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

83,980

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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Highest

Between locations

Bryan, TX Chicago, IL 1,470 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bryan, 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

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

Bryan, TX is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,867 in Bryan, TX and $4,708 in Chicago, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,587 in Bryan, TX versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,314 in Bryan, TX versus $1,652 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bryan, TX – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Bryan, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Bryan, TX is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chicago, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bryan, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.