Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Katy, TX: $2,451 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Katy, TX
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Katy, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Katy, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,451

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,451 in Katy, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Katy, TX $2,451

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,581 in Katy, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Katy, TX $3,581

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,711 in Katy, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Katy, TX $4,711

Chicago, IL costs about 25% more than Katy, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Katy, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Katy, TX by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$16.88 $16.88

20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$60.6 $60.6

46.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$8.85 $8.85

45.20%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$3.49 $3.49

65.62%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.98 $1.98

38.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.13 $2.13

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.07 $4.07

69.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.53 $5.53

67.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.95 $0.95

32.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.53 $3.53

0.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.06 $3.06

75.82%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.05 $3.05

49.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.08 $13.08

4.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$9.66 $9.66

45.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.72 $16.72

8.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.83 $3.83

34.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.24 $1.24

59.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.12 $3.12

24.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.25 $3.25

48.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.10 $2.10

33.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.49 $2.49

7.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.78 $1.78

16.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.22 $1.22

148.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.68 $9.68

43.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$12.75 $12.75

18.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.70 $1.70

54.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.58 $1.58

118.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.02 $2.02

20.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$107 $107

-29.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.68 $2.68

18.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.58 $1.58

7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$35.07 $35.07

-29.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.85 $0.85

50.59%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$32.3K $32.3K

10.64%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.5K $24.5K

9.55%

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

$192 $192

$246 $246

-21.83%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$58.9 $58.9

18.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$70.7 $70.7

-11.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$25.59 $25.59

86.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$25.19 $25.19

7.58%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$11.91 $11.91

49.71%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,009 $1,009

79.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$17.8K $17.8K

128.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$52.8 $52.8

25.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$43.00 $43.00

19.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$86.9 $86.9

18.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$109 $109

30.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,544 $1,544

63.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,186 $1,186

36.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,750 $2,750

75.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,026 $2,026

34.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,098 $2,098

98.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,542 $1,542

76.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,102 $4,102

20.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.41

5.77%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Katy, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Katy, TX

$1.2K 48.4% 26.8% $435

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Katy, TX

$332 13.6% 24.3% $107

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Katy, TX

$251 10.3% 27% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Katy, TX

$375 15.3% 15.9% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Katy, TX

$131 5.4% 19.7% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Katy, TX

$125 5.1% 29.7% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Katy, TX

$49 2% 40.8% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,544 in Katy, 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 20% 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 $61 in Katy, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $332 – making Katy, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Katy, TX

🕒 Local time

04:51 4:51 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

14,102

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Katy, TX 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,451 in Katy, TX – Katy, TX comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,677 in Katy, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Katy, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,544 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $61 in Katy, 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,451 in Katy, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Katy, 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 Katy, 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.