Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Dallas, TX: $2,898 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chicago, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
139

Cost of Living Index in Dallas, TX
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Dallas, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,898

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,898 in Dallas, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Dallas, TX $2,898

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,315 in Dallas, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Dallas, TX $4,315

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,733 in Dallas, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Dallas, TX $5,733

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Dallas, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Dallas, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Dallas, TX by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.61 $20.61

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$91.3 $91.3

-2.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.09 $12.09

9.10%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.31 $6.31

-10.30%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.24 $3.24

-18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.36 $2.36

-3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.80 $7.80

-11.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.79 $7.79

13.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.02 $1.02

22.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.21 $3.21

15.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.83 $4.83

11.59%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.69 $4.69

1.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.97 $12.97

6.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.32 $11.32

27.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.41 $18.41

-0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.97 $5.97

-12.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.54 $1.54

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.00 $5.00

-18.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.23 $4.23

17.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.28 $2.28

17.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.19 $3.19

-16.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.02 $2.02

10.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.93 $2.93

6.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.16 $10.16

36.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.24 $16.24

-8.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.55 $3.55

-28.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.59 $4.59

-23.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.94 $2.94

-17.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$126 $126

-41.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.05 $3.05

4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.78 $1.78

-21.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.84 $23.84

4.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.02 $1.02

17.65%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.6K $36.6K

-4.25%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$28.0K $28.0K

-4.74%

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

$194 $194

$198 $198

-1.81%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.7 $58.7

18.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$65.1 $65.1

-5.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$57.3 $57.3

-16.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$20.77 $20.77

31.63%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.09 $15.09

18.03%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$2,028 $2,028

-11.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.0K $24.0K

32.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$64.7 $64.7

3.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$49.46 $49.46

5.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$122 $122

-16.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$137 $137

5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,817 $1,817

39.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,389 $1,389

13.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,084 $4,084

16.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,342 $2,342

14.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$8,624 $8,624

-51.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,953 $2,953

-6.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,493 $4,493

9.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.86

-0.73%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Dallas, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Dallas, TX

$1.4K 48% 11.9% $189

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Dallas, TX

$427 14.8% 4.5% $20

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Dallas, TX

$354 12.2% 2.6% $8.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Dallas, TX

$322 11.1% 1.1% $3.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Dallas, TX

$168 5.8% 2.3% $3.8

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Dallas, TX

$150 5.2% 60.7% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Dallas, TX

$87 3% 4.8% $4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,817 in Dallas, 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 10% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $91 in Dallas, TX. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $427 in Dallas, TX – so Dallas, TX wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Dallas, TX

🕒 Local time

09:36 9:36 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

1,302,638

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Dallas, TX 1,300 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,898 in Dallas, TX – Dallas, TX comes out roughly 5% 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 $4,347 in Dallas, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dallas, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,817 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,898 in Dallas, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dallas, TX costs $2,898 versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Dallas, 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.