Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Kyle, TX: $2,391 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 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
115

Cost of Living Index in Kyle, TX
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Kyle, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Kyle, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,391

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,391 in Kyle, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Kyle, TX $2,391

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,282 in Kyle, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Kyle, TX $3,282

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,173 in Kyle, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Kyle, TX $4,173

Chicago, IL costs about 31% more than Kyle, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Kyle, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Kyle, TX by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$14.83 $14.83

39.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$75.3 $75.3

19.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$8.15 $8.15

58.77%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.20 $5.20

7.69%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.97 $1.97

34.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.03 $1.03

120.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.02 $6.02

15.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.17 $8.17

8.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.82 $0.82

54.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.70 $1.70

123.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.03 $3.03

74.92%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.52 $2.52

88.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.27 $11.27

23.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.83 $12.83

13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$16.59 $16.59

13.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.06 $4.06

27.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.44 $1.44

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.00 $3.00

31.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.80 $3.80

30.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.21 $2.21

24.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.69 $2.69

2.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.85 $1.85

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.57 $2.57

15.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.08 $10.08

39.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.70 $14.70

3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.43 $2.43

6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.94 $2.94

19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$6.13 $6.13

-59.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$87.7 $87.7

-14.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.99 $2.99

11.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.67 $0.67

113.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$17.78 $17.78

36.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.70 $0.70

80.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

0.16%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.9K $26.9K

-3.07%

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

$193 $193

$197 $197

-2.26%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$39.79 $39.79

71.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$69.1 $69.1

-11.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$45.71 $45.71

18.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$61.1 $61.1

-54.29%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.95 $14.95

18.66%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$2,189 $2,189

-24.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$22.4K $22.4K

38.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$49.31 $49.31

33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$46.83 $46.83

9.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$105 $105

-4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$95.0 $95.0

48.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,230 $1,230

98.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,141 $1,141

47.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,051 $2,051

129.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,361 $1,361

105.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,090 $2,090

96.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,522 $1,522

74.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,961 $4,961

-1.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.7

1.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Kyle, TX: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Kyle, TX

$1.1K 47.7% 32% $537

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Kyle, TX

$353 14.8% 21.5% $97

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Kyle, TX

$264 11% 23.1% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Kyle, TX

$306 12.8% 5% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Kyle, TX

$133 5.6% 17.5% $28

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Kyle, TX

$119 5% 24.6% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Kyle, TX

$76 3.2% 15.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,230 in Kyle, 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 2% higher in Kyle, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $75.0 in Kyle, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $353 – making Kyle, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kyle, TX

🕒 Local time

06:43 6:43 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

28,016

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Kyle, TX 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,391 in Kyle, TX – roughly 31% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,586 in Kyle, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $75.0 in Kyle, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Kyle, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,391, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Kyle, 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 $2,391 in Kyle, TX to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Kyle, 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.