Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Leander, TX: $1,320 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $20,600 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
63

Cost of Living Index in Leander, TX
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Leander, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Leander, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$1,320

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,320 in Leander, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Leander, TX $1,320

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,096 in Leander, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Leander, TX $2,096

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,872 in Leander, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Leander, TX $2,872

Chicago, IL costs about 130% more than Leander, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Chicago, IL sits 123% above the global median, while Leander, TX is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.14 $18.14

14.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$52.7 $52.7

69.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.02 $12.02

9.73%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.34 $6.34

-10.73%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.36 $2.36

11.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.22 $2.22

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.59 $5.59

22.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.53 $6.53

35.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.91 $0.91

37.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.26 $3.26

14.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.31 $5.31

1.51%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.63 $3.63

30.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.77 $10.77

28.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.33 $13.33

8.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$20.23 $20.23

-9.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.29 $6.29

-17.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.89 $2.89

-31.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.18 $5.18

-21.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.78 $4.78

3.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.57 $2.57

3.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.46 $3.46

-23.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.22 $2.22

0.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.38 $2.38

31.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.83 $9.83

40.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$20.76 $20.76

-28.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.02 $2.02

25.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.22 $3.22

9.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.96 $2.96

-17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.93 $2.93

8.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.77 $1.77

-21.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.14 $24.14

3.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.00 $1.00

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.5K $24.5K

42.95%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.97%

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

$194 $194

$185 $185

4.96%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$87.9 $87.9

-20.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$62.8 $62.8

-1.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.96 $36.96

29.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$50.1 $50.1

-45.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.95 $14.95

19.13%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,890 $1,890

-5.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$28.2K $28.2K

13.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$60.4 $60.4

10.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$30.49 $30.49

71.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.3 $86.3

17.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$126 $126

13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,771 $3,771

11.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,421 $2,421

14.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,463 $6,463

-23.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.62

2.87%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Leander, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Leander, TX

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Leander, TX

$441 33.4% 1.5% $6.7

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Leander, TX

$317 24% 8.2% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Leander, TX

$336 25.4% 3.2% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Leander, TX

$137 10.3% 16.8% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Leander, TX

$24 * 1.8% 74.7% $70

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Leander, TX

$67 5.1% 19.9% $17

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 31% higher in Leander, 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 $53 in Leander, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $441 – making Leander, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Leander, TX

🕒 Local time

06:04 6:04 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

26,521

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Leander, TX 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,320 in Leander, TX – roughly 130% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,980 in Leander, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,890 in Leander, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $1,320 in Leander, TX. That’s a gap of about 130%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Leander, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,320, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Leander, 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 $1,320 in Leander, TX to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.