Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Frisco, TX: $2,815 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 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
136

Cost of Living Index in Frisco, TX
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Frisco, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Frisco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,815

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,815 in Frisco, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Frisco, TX $2,815

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,225 in Frisco, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Frisco, TX $4,225

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,634 in Frisco, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Frisco, TX $5,634

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Frisco, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Frisco, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Frisco, TX by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.75 $14.75

40.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$78.8 $78.8

13.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.03 $11.03

19.58%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.28 $5.28

7.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.56 $2.56

3.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.38 $2.38

-4.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.78 $6.78

1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.11 $9.11

-2.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.52 $3.52

5.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.66 $3.66

47.27%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.12 $4.12

15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.89 $12.89

7.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.96 $10.96

31.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.20 $19.20

-4.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.79 $4.79

8.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.35 $1.35

46.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.14 $3.14

29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.99 $3.99

24.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.32 $3.32

-19.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.86 $2.86

-6.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.05 $2.05

9.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.53 $2.53

23.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.01 $10.01

38.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.26 $14.26

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.76 $1.76

44.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.26 $3.26

7.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.07 $3.07

-20.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$132 $132

-44.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.69 $2.69

18.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.27 $1.27

9.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.94 $29.94

-16.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.52%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.94%

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

$194 $194

$244 $244

-20.20%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$66.2 $66.2

4.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.4 $64.4

-4.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$32.14 $32.14

49.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$11.76 $11.76

132.48%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.16 $15.16

17.48%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,557 $1,557

15.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.0K $24.0K

33.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.0 $54.0

24.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.07 $41.07

26.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$75.1 $75.1

35.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$139 $139

3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,776 $1,776

42.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,409 $1,409

11.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,426 $3,426

38.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,577 $2,577

4.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,955 $2,955

41.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,132 $2,132

29.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,022 $7,022

-29.78%

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 Frisco, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Frisco, TX

$1.4K 50.1% 10.7% $169

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Frisco, TX

$390 13.9% 12.8% $57

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Frisco, TX

$286 10.2% 17% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Frisco, TX

$374 13.3% 15% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Frisco, TX

$139 5% 15% $25

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Frisco, TX

$153 5.5% 64.2% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Frisco, TX

$62 2.2% 25.2% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,776 in Frisco, 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 42% higher in Frisco, TX, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $79 in Frisco, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $390 – making Frisco, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Frisco, TX

🕒 Local time

13:43 1:43 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

873,965

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Frisco, TX 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,815 in Frisco, TX – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,222 in Frisco, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Frisco, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,776 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Frisco, TX. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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