Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Amarillo, TX: $2,247 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Amarillo, TX
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Amarillo, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Amarillo, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,247

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,247 in Amarillo, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Amarillo, TX $2,247

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,305 in Amarillo, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Amarillo, TX $3,305

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,363 in Amarillo, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Amarillo, TX $4,363

Chicago, IL costs about 35% more than Amarillo, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Amarillo, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Amarillo, TX by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.22 $15.22

36.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$68.0 $68.0

31.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.83 $12.83

2.81%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.80 $6.80

-16.76%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.22 $2.22

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.61 $1.61

41.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.08 $4.08

68.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.99 $6.99

26.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.16 $1.16

7.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.37 $3.37

10.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.41 $3.41

58.06%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.52 $4.52

4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.19 $16.19

-14.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.66 $12.66

13.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$27.34 $27.34

-32.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.03 $4.03

29.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.86 $1.86

6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.57 $4.57

-11.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.75 $3.75

32.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.15 $2.15

24.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.93 $2.93

-9.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.74 $1.74

28.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.60 $2.60

20.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.85 $9.85

40.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.10 $12.10

22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.08 $2.08

22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.03 $2.03

72.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.01 $1.01

140.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$30.36 $30.36

142.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.89 $0.89

34.83%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.09%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

4.44%

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

$194 $194

$294 $294

-33.95%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.7 $51.7

34.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$89.9 $89.9

-31.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$45.46 $45.46

5.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.82 $9.82

81.36%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$715 $715

150.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$37.62 $37.62

78.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$59.9 $59.9

69.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$119 $119

20.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$911 $911

177.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$894 $894

76.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,810 $1,810

161.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,533 $1,533

75.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,572 $1,572

166.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,558 $1,558

77.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,763 $3,763

31.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.12

11.27%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Amarillo, TX: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Amarillo, TX

$894 39.8% 43.3% $684

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Amarillo, TX

$428 19.1% 4.3% $19

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Amarillo, TX

$291 13% 15.5% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Amarillo, TX

$436 19.4% 33.9% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Amarillo, TX

$98 * 4.3% 40.5% $66

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Amarillo, TX

$34 * 1.5% 63.1% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Amarillo, TX

$65 2.9% 22.1% $18

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $911 in Amarillo, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $68 in Amarillo, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $428 – making Amarillo, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Amarillo, TX

🕒 Local time

23:01 11:01 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

198,645

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Amarillo, TX 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Amarillo, TX

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,247 in Amarillo, TX – Amarillo, TX comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,370 in Amarillo, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Amarillo, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $911 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Amarillo, TX. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $715 in Amarillo, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Amarillo, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,247, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Amarillo, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Amarillo, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Amarillo, TX. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.