Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Beaumont, TX: $1,941 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 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
93

Cost of Living Index in Beaumont, TX
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Beaumont, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Beaumont, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$1,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,941 in Beaumont, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Beaumont, TX $1,941

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,761 in Beaumont, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Beaumont, TX $2,761

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,582 in Beaumont, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Beaumont, TX $3,582

Chicago, IL costs about 56% more than Beaumont, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Beaumont, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Beaumont, TX by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.85 $14.85

39.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$49.47 $49.47

80.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.17 $10.17

29.70%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.65 $5.65

0.18%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.93 $2.93

-9.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.76 $1.76

29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.95 $4.95

38.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.70 $7.70

14.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.75 $0.75

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.85 $2.85

30.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.79 $3.79

42.22%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.89 $2.89

64.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$4.34 $4.34

218.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.65 $9.65

49.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.02 $13.02

41.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.28 $4.28

21.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.51 $4.51

-9.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.47 $4.47

11.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.17 $2.17

23.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.14 $2.14

24.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.85 $1.85

21.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.84 $1.84

70.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$6.14 $6.14

125.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$4.91 $4.91

203.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.70 $1.70

49.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.93 $3.93

-10.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$4.18 $4.18

-41.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$110 $110

-33.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$10.07 $10.07

-68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.88 $1.88

-26.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$60.9 $60.9

-58.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.78 $0.78

53.85%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.58%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.17%

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

$194 $194

$177 $177

9.63%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$39.41 $39.41

76.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$54.9 $54.9

12.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$35.57 $35.57

34.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.15 $9.15

94.64%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$764 $764

134.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$18.3K $18.3K

74.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.7 $58.7

14.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$30.49 $30.49

71.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$69.0 $69.0

47.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$73.9 $73.9

94.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$851 $851

196.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$788 $788

100.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,344 $1,344

252.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,135 $1,135

137.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,374 $1,374

204.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,368 $1,368

102.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,954 $3,954

24.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Beaumont, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Beaumont, TX

$788 40.6% 50% $790

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Beaumont, TX

$300 15.5% 32.8% $147

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Beaumont, TX

$276 14.2% 20% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Beaumont, TX

$272 14% 16.5% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Beaumont, TX

$104 5.4% 36.3% $60

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Beaumont, TX

$146 7.5% 56.3% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Beaumont, TX

$54 2.8% 35.5% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $851 in Beaumont, 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 25% 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 $49 in Beaumont, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $300 – making Beaumont, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Beaumont, TX

🕒 Local time

07:06 7:06 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

115,282

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Beaumont, TX 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,941 in Beaumont, TX – Beaumont, TX comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,911 in Beaumont, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Beaumont, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $851 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $1,941 in Beaumont, TX. That makes Beaumont, TX about 36% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Beaumont, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,941, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Beaumont, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beaumont, 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 Beaumont, 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.