Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Brownwood, TX: $1,712 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $17,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
82

Cost of Living Index in Brownwood, TX
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Brownwood, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Brownwood, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$1,712

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,712 in Brownwood, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Brownwood, TX $1,712

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,646 in Brownwood, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Brownwood, TX $2,646

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,579 in Brownwood, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Brownwood, TX $3,579

Chicago, IL costs about 83% more than Brownwood, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Brownwood, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Brownwood, TX by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$13.58 $13.58

52.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$78.4 $78.4

15.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.83 $9.83

31.64%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.31 $5.31

5.46%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.41 $2.41

9.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.75 $1.75

29.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.76 $6.76

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.32 $7.32

20.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.71 $0.71

78.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.42 $1.42

167.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.07 $2.07

156.04%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.03 $2.03

134.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$7.91 $7.91

76.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$8.91 $8.91

63.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.38 $13.38

40.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.99 $2.99

73.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.25 $1.25

58.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.69 $2.69

46.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.10 $2.10

136.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.14 $2.14

28.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.10 $2.10

31.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.79 $1.79

24.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.43 $2.43

22.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.99 $9.99

40.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$20.21 $20.21

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.70 $1.70

51.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.21 $3.21

9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.25 $2.25

9.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.93 $2.93

13.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.73 $1.73

-17.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$33.87 $33.87

-28.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.95 $0.95

32.63%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

28.69%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$22.4K $22.4K

16.38%

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

$193 $193

$99.8 $99.8

93.14%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$47.47 $47.47

43.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$39.48 $39.48

55.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.24 $42.24

28.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.20 $11.20

58.39%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,329 $1,329

24.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.6K $23.6K

31.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$58.4 $58.4

13.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$37.56 $37.56

36.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$85.5 $85.5

17.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$68.8 $68.8

104.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,616 $1,616

51.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$768 $768

118.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,478 $2,478

90.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,351 $1,351

106.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,391 $2,391

71.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,350 $2,350

12.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.21

9.66%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Brownwood, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Brownwood, TX

$768 44.9% 54.2% $910

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Brownwood, TX

$292 17.1% 35% $157

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Brownwood, TX

$267 15.6% 22.3% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Brownwood, TX

$187 10.9% 42.1% $136

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Brownwood, TX

$113 6.6% 30.2% $49

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Brownwood, TX

$21 * 1.2% 78.4% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Brownwood, TX

$65 3.8% 27.9% $25

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,616 in Brownwood, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $78.0 in Brownwood, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $292 – making Brownwood, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Brownwood, TX

🕒 Local time

03:47 3:47 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

19,763

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Brownwood, TX 1,510 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 83%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,568 in Brownwood, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brownwood, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $78.0 in Brownwood, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Brownwood, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,712, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Brownwood, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Brownwood, 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 Brownwood, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.