Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Del Rio, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Del Rio, TX: $1,967 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Del Rio, TX
Learn more

Del Rio, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Del Rio, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$1,967

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,967 in Del Rio, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Del Rio, TX $1,967

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,939 in Del Rio, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Del Rio, TX $2,939

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,911 in Del Rio, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Del Rio, TX $3,911

Chicago, IL costs about 60% more than Del Rio, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Del Rio, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Del Rio, TX by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$18.11 $18.11

14.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$48.13 $48.13

87.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.65 $10.65

21.50%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.30 $5.30

5.66%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.13 $2.13

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.76 $1.76

28.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.03 $4.03

73.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$4.96 $4.96

78.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.15 $1.15

10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.28 $3.28

15.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.40 $4.40

20.45%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.74 $3.74

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.19 $12.19

14.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.66 $11.66

25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.06 $18.06

3.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.77 $4.77

8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 $1.61

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.48 $4.48

-12.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.47 $3.47

42.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.61 $2.61

5.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.98 $2.98

-7.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.96 $1.96

13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.18 $2.18

36.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.00 $10.00

40.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.15 $15.15

0.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.75 $2.75

-6.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.52 $3.52

-5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.85 $1.85

-22.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.12 $24.12

0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.99 $0.99

27.27%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.7K $36.7K

-4.67%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

1.79%

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

$193 $193

$211 $211

-8.84%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$73.5 $73.5

-7.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$79.2 $79.2

-22.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.54 $14.54

22.01%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,278 $1,278

29.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$19.1K $19.1K

62.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$51.0 $51.0

29.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$48.83 $48.83

4.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$134 $134

-25.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$152 $152

-7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$821 $821

198.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$708 $708

137.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,511 $1,511

212.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,284 $1,284

117.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,708 $1,708

140.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,667 $1,667

58.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.44

5.75%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Del Rio, TX: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Del Rio, TX

$708 36% 57.8% $970

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Del Rio, TX

$394 20% 12.4% $56

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Del Rio, TX

$286 14.5% 16.7% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Del Rio, TX

$364 18.5% 13% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Del Rio, TX

$174 8.8% 7.8% $13

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Del Rio, TX

$13 * 0.7% 86.6% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Del Rio, TX

$29 * 1.5% 67.6% $61

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 $821 in Del Rio, 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 $48.00 in Del Rio, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $394 – making Del Rio, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Del Rio, TX

🕒 Local time

05:20 5:20 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

34,673

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Del Rio, TX 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $1,967 in Del Rio, TX – roughly 60% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,951 in Del Rio, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Del Rio, 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 $48.00 in Del Rio, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 Del Rio, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,967, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Del Rio, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,967 in Del Rio, TX to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Del Rio, 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.