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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,051 in Chicago, IL versus $2,426 in Baytown, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,638 in Chicago, IL versus $3,475 in Baytown, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,224 in Chicago, IL versus $4,525 in Baytown, TX.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 26% more expensive than Baytown, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Baytown, TX 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 $20.67

$18.13 $18.13

14.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$40.53 $40.53

147.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$8.15 $8.15

45.52%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$4.10 $4.10

35.12%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.02 $2.02

51.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.13 $2.13

16.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 $6.92

$6.14 $6.14

12.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$4.03 $4.03

101.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.83 $0.83

25.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.40 $3.40

15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$3.30 $3.30

64.24%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$4.44 $4.44

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$11.09 $11.09

30.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$10.80 $10.80

40.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$7.39 $7.39

160.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.24 $3.24

66.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.57 $1.57

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.35 $4.35

-0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.04 $4.04

11.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.84 $2.84

-9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.85 $2.85

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.02 $2.02

19.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.16 $2.16

21.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 $15.02

$8.86 $8.86

69.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.02 $15.02

-2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.30 $2.30

7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.60 $3.60

2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.06 $2.06

23.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 $75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.41 $4.41

-25.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.82 $1.82

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$34.70 $34.70

-28.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.58 $0.58

87.93%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

24.08%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.5K $26.5K

-0.08%

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

$183 $183

$171 $171

7.24%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$40.62 $40.62

52.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$57.3 $57.3

13.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$43.10 $43.10

76.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$9.03 $9.03

63.34%

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

$2,056 $2,056

$1,368 $1,368

50.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$22.4K $22.4K

71.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$55.1 $55.1

16.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$46.30 $46.30

11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$84.6 $84.6

14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$118 $118

24.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 $2,349

$1,605 $1,605

46.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,380 $1,380

14.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,708 $4,708

$2,671 $2,671

76.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 $2,716

$2,185 $2,185

24.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 $3,976

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,723 $4,723

$3,693 $3,693

27.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.45

2.33%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 20, 2026

Last update for Baytown, TX: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,349 in Chicago, IL and $1,605 in Baytown, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 28% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $100 in Chicago, IL vs $41 in Baytown, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $343 per month, with Baytown, TX cheaper across the board.

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 Baytown, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baytown, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Chicago, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baytown, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Chicago, IL pays 28% more on average, 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: $2,349 in Chicago, IL versus $1,605 in Baytown, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,056 in Chicago, IL versus $1,368 in Baytown, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Baytown, TX – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $100 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Baytown, 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 Baytown, TX delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,426 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baytown, TX hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Baytown, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.