Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Galveston, TX: $2,222 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 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
107

Cost of Living Index in Galveston, TX
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Galveston, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Galveston, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,222

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,222 in Galveston, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Galveston, TX $2,222

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,215 in Galveston, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Galveston, TX $3,215

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,209 in Galveston, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Galveston, TX $4,209

Chicago, IL costs about 37% more than Galveston, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Galveston, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Galveston, TX by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.04 $22.04

-6.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.5 $76.5

16.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.12 $12.12

8.83%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$7.95 $7.95

-28.81%

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

$1.77 $1.77

28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.15 $5.15

33.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.05 $4.05

118.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.81 $0.81

54.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.56 $2.56

45.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.81 $2.81

91.81%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.75 $2.75

72.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.45 $11.45

20.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.54 $9.54

50.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.24 $13.24

38.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.47 $5.47

-4.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.57 $1.57

26.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.18 $3.18

27.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.76 $3.76

32.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.13 $2.13

25.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.50 $2.50

6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.80 $1.80

24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.79 $1.79

74.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.91 $9.91

39.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.90 $10.90

36.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.79 $1.79

41.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.77 $1.77

98.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.95 $1.95

24.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$32.77 $32.77

124.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$9.90 $9.90

-67.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.82 $1.82

-23.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$60.6 $60.6

-58.72%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

30.52%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

1.17%

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

$194 $194

$176 $176

10.35%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$42.42 $42.42

63.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$39.79 $39.79

54.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.89 $34.89

37.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.17 $11.17

59.44%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$759 $759

136.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$18.2K $18.2K

75.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$44.12 $44.12

51.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$38.49 $38.49

35.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$73.4 $73.4

38.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$81.1 $81.1

77.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,186 $1,186

113.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,059 $1,059

49.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,118 $2,118

123.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,579 $1,579

70.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,698 $2,698

55.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,158 $2,158

28.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,045 $4,045

21.91%

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 Galveston, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Galveston, TX

$1.1K 47.7% 32.9% $519

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Galveston, TX

$320 14.4% 28.4% $127

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Galveston, TX

$360 16.2% 4.5% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Galveston, TX

$258 11.6% 20.6% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Galveston, TX

$107 4.8% 34.9% $57

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Galveston, TX

$60 2.7% 36.2% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Galveston, TX

$57 2.6% 31.5% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,186 in Galveston, 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 22% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $77 in Galveston, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $320 – making Galveston, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Galveston, TX

🕒 Local time

04:41 4:41 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

53,695

💱 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 Galveston, TX 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,222 in Galveston, TX – Galveston, TX comes out roughly 27% 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 $3,333 in Galveston, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Galveston, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,186 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $77 in Galveston, 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 Galveston, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,222, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Galveston, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Galveston, 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 Galveston, 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.