Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and El Paso, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in El Paso, TX: $2,120 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 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
102

Cost of Living Index in El Paso, TX
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El Paso, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

El Paso, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,120

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,120 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
El Paso, TX $2,120

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,183 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
El Paso, TX $3,183

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,246 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
El Paso, TX $4,246

Chicago, IL costs about 43% more than El Paso, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and El Paso, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, El Paso, TX by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.60 $18.60

11.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$78.2 $78.2

14.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.23 $12.23

7.85%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.11 $6.11

-7.36%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.38 $2.38

10.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.56 $1.56

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.82 $5.82

18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.84 $6.84

29.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.87 $0.87

43.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.01 $3.01

23.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.47 $2.47

118.22%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.60 $3.60

31.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.11 $12.11

14.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.74 $11.74

22.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.03 $13.03

41.06%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.51 $3.51

48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.46 $1.46

35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.61 $2.61

55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.56 $3.56

39.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.16 $2.16

23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.83 $2.83

-6.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.76 $1.76

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.57 $1.57

99.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.86 $9.86

40.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$9.78 $9.78

52.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.01 $2.01

26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.92 $4.92

-28.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.52 $1.52

59.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$48.34 $48.34

52.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.67 $1.67

90.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.37 $1.37

1.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$27.43 $27.43

-8.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.91 $0.91

31.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.08%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.68%

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

$194 $194

$162 $162

20.28%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$72.6 $72.6

-4.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$67.4 $67.4

-8.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$17.51 $17.51

173.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$8.44 $8.44

223.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.15 $12.15

46.58%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$689 $689

160.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$6,862 $6,862

365.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$46.41 $46.41

44.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$35.88 $35.88

45.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$103 $103

-1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$178 $178

-19.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,050 $1,050

140.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$904 $904

74.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,569 $1,569

201.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,497 $1,497

79.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,983 $1,983

111.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,681 $1,681

64.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,323 $3,323

48.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for El Paso, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

El Paso, TX

$904 42.6% 42.7% $675

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

El Paso, TX

$329 15.5% 26.4% $118

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

El Paso, TX

$317 15% 8% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

El Paso, TX

$302 14.2% 7.4% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

El Paso, TX

$164 7.7% 0.1% $0.2

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

El Paso, TX

$63 3% 32.6% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

El Paso, TX

$42 2% 49.9% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,050 in El Paso, 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 48% 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 $78 in El Paso, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $329 – making El Paso, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 El Paso, TX

🕒 Local time

01:05 1:05 AM

00:05 12:05 AM

1 h behind Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

678,815

💱 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 El Paso, TX 2,010 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,120 in El Paso, TX – El Paso, TX comes out roughly 30% 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 $3,180 in El Paso, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Paso, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,050 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $78 in El Paso, TX. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,120 in El Paso, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward El Paso, 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 El Paso, 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.