Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Killeen, TX: $2,106 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
103

Cost of Living Index in Killeen, TX
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Killeen, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Killeen, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,106

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,106 in Killeen, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Killeen, TX $2,106

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,276 in Killeen, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Killeen, TX $3,276

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,447 in Killeen, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Killeen, TX $4,447

Chicago, IL costs about 49% more than Killeen, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Killeen, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Killeen, TX by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$20.34 $20.34

1.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$65.3 $65.3

38.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.77 $11.77

9.94%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.43 $5.43

3.13%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.92 $2.92

-9.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.87 $1.87

21.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.06 $5.06

37.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.78 $5.78

52.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.04 $1.04

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.30 $2.30

65.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.77 $4.77

11.11%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.99 $3.99

19.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$8.67 $8.67

61.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.14 $11.14

31.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$18.15 $18.15

3.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.75 $5.75

-9.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.94 $0.94

110.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$5.04 $5.04

-22.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.13 $4.13

20.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.40 $2.40

15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.87 $2.87

-3.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.92 $1.92

15.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.85 $2.85

4.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$6.03 $6.03

132.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$11.73 $11.73

30.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.08 $2.08

24.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.83 $1.83

91.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$72.9 $72.9

2.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.08 $3.08

8.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.79 $1.79

-20.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$14.76 $14.76

64.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.93 $0.93

35.48%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.8K $35.8K

-2.28%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.2K $24.2K

7.96%

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

$193 $193

$191 $191

1.04%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$58.0 $58.0

17.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$66.6 $66.6

-7.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$23.01 $23.01

135.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.96 $12.96

36.88%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,090 $2,090

-20.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$24.0K $24.0K

29.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$38.16 $38.16

73.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$19.71 $19.71

159.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$63.4 $63.4

57.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$64.3 $64.3

119.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,010 $1,010

142.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$882 $882

90.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,553 $1,553

203.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,791 $1,791

56.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,747 $1,747

134.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,758 $1,758

50.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,303 $3,303

47.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.71

1.49%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Killeen, TX: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Killeen, TX

$882 41.9% 47.4% $796

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Killeen, TX

$372 17.7% 17.2% $77

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Killeen, TX

$319 15.2% 7.1% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Killeen, TX

$315 15% 2.1% $6.9

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Killeen, TX

$83 4% 48.2% $78

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Killeen, TX

$85 * 4% 10.8% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Killeen, TX

$49 2.3% 45.4% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,010 in Killeen, 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 47% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $65.0 in Killeen, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $372 – making Killeen, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Killeen, TX

🕒 Local time

08:57 8:57 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

153,095

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Killeen, TX 1,500 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,106 in Killeen, TX – roughly 49% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,159 in Killeen, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Killeen, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $65.0 in Killeen, 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 Killeen, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,106, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Killeen, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,106 in Killeen, TX to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Killeen, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.