Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Forney, TX: $2,474 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Forney, TX
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Forney, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Forney, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,474 in Forney, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Forney, TX $2,474

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,670 in Forney, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Forney, TX $3,670

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,867 in Forney, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Forney, TX $4,867

Chicago, IL costs about 23% more than Forney, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Forney, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Forney, TX by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.20 $15.20

36.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$77.8 $77.8

14.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.93 $11.93

10.56%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.53 $5.53

2.35%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.84 $2.84

-7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.71 $1.71

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.14 $5.14

33.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.44 $7.44

18.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.80 $0.80

56.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.16 $3.16

17.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.78 $2.78

93.88%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.81 $2.81

68.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.97 $11.97

15.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.47 $9.47

52.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.94 $12.94

42.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.14 $3.14

66.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.60 $1.60

23.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.30 $6.30

-35.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.73 $4.73

5.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.09 $4.09

-34.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.86 $2.86

-6.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.86 $1.86

20.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.87 $1.87

67.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.98 $9.98

38.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.72 $13.72

8.45%

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

$3.84 $3.84

-8.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.99 $1.99

22.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$52.7 $52.7

39.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.09 $3.09

2.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.90 $1.90

-26.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$59.1 $59.1

-57.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.95 $0.95

26.32%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

31.33%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.82%

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

$194 $194

$181 $181

7.46%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$40.55 $40.55

71.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$54.8 $54.8

12.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.03 $41.03

16.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.94 $10.94

62.80%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$768 $768

133.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$17.7K $17.7K

80.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$60.1 $60.1

11.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.54 $38.54

35.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$81.4 $81.4

24.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$120 $120

19.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,565 $1,565

61.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,295 $1,295

21.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,873 $2,873

64.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,221 $2,221

21.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,667 $2,667

57.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,343 $2,343

18.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Forney, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Forney, TX

$1.3K 52.3% 18% $283

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Forney, TX

$350 14.1% 21.8% $98

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Forney, TX

$283 11.4% 18.1% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Forney, TX

$276 11.2% 15.1% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Forney, TX

$135 5.5% 17.7% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Forney, TX

$73 3% 21.6% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Forney, TX

$63 2.5% 24.7% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,565 in Forney, 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $78 in Forney, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $350 – making Forney, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Forney, TX

🕒 Local time

13:06 1:06 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

23,455

💱 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 Forney, TX 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,474 in Forney, TX – Forney, TX comes out roughly 19% 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 $3,712 in Forney, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Forney, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,565 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 Forney, TX. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Forney, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,474, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Forney, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Forney, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Forney, TX is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 19% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.