Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,078 a month against $3,373 in Anna, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Anna, TX outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
160

Cost of Living Index in Anna, TX
Learn more

Anna, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,078

/mo nomad

Anna, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$3,373

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,078 in Chicago, IL versus $3,373 in Anna, TX.

Chicago, IL $3,078
Anna, TX $3,373

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,540 in Chicago, IL versus $5,177 in Anna, TX.

Chicago, IL $4,540
Anna, TX $5,177

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,002 in Chicago, IL versus $6,981 in Anna, TX.

Chicago, IL $6,002
Anna, TX $6,981

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 9% less than in Anna, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Anna, TX 152% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.76 $20.76

$20.21 $20.21

2.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 $88.3

$79.6 $79.6

10.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 $13.21

$15.15 $15.15

-12.81%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$5.32 $5.32

5.64%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.67 $2.67

-1.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.27 $2.27

0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.21 $7.21

$5.84 $5.84

23.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 $9.19

$9.24 $9.24

-0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.01 $1.01

24.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.49 $3.49

7.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.59 $3.59

47.35%

Eggs

$4.73 $4.73

$3.77 $3.77

25.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.74 $12.74

8.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.05 $14.05

$10.79 $10.79

30.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.87 $17.87

$16.81 $16.81

6.31%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.32 $4.32

20.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.80 $1.80

9.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.49 $4.49

-13.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$4.09 $4.09

16.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.84 $3.84

-29.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.00 $3.00

-10.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.04 $2.04

4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.46 $2.46

25.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.74 $13.74

$9.61 $9.61

42.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$14.24 $14.24

3.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.81 $1.81

45.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.93 $3.93

-11.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.82 $3.82

-34.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 $74.0

$63.6 $63.6

16.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.67 $2.67

23.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.23 $1.23

36.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.34 $24.34

$29.88 $29.88

-18.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.94 $0.94

35.11%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

37.24%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.77%

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

$195 $195

$189 $189

3.14%

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

$70.6 $70.6

$86.3 $86.3

-18.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$95.3 $95.3

-36.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$42.74 $42.74

41.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.66 $42.66

$20.31 $20.31

110.04%

Cinema Ticket

$18.22 $18.22

$9.84 $9.84

85.16%

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

$1,822 $1,822

$1,543 $1,543

18.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.5K $41.5K

$19.7K $19.7K

110.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 $66.9

$54.6 $54.6

22.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$43.78 $43.78

17.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$106 $106

-0.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$141 $141

1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,210 $2,210

14.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 $1,606

$1,970 $1,970

-18.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,745 $4,745

$3,399 $3,399

39.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,662 $2,662

$3,882 $3,882

-31.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,257 $4,257

$2,914 $2,914

46.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,707 $2,707

$2,312 $2,312

17.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,705 $4,705

$10.1K $10.1K

-53.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.45

5.12%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 10, 2026

Last update for Anna, TX: November 9, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.2%

Anna, TX

$2K 58.4% 22.7% $364

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$441 14.3%

Anna, TX

$389 11.5% 12% $53

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$347 11.3%

Anna, TX

$338 10% 2.5% $8.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.6%

Anna, TX

$371 11% 13.8% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$165 5.4%

Anna, TX

$155 4.6% 5.6% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Anna, TX

$62 1.9% 35.5% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$96 3.1%

Anna, TX

$88 2.6% 8.3% $7.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,531 in Chicago, IL and $2,210 in Anna, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anna, TX pays about 2.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $88 in Chicago, IL vs $80 in Anna, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $441 vs $389 per month, with Anna, TX cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Anna, TX

🕒 Local time

19:34 7:34 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

20,243

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Anna, TX 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Chicago, IL is about 9% cheaper overall, especially in utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Chicago, IL. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,210 in Anna, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Anna, TX pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Anna, TX – a meal for two runs $80 versus $88 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Chicago, IL wins on affordability, Anna, TX on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.