Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Longview, TX: $2,623 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
127

Cost of Living Index in Longview, TX
Learn more

Longview, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Longview, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,623

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,623 in Longview, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Longview, TX $2,623

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,047 in Longview, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Longview, TX $4,047

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,471 in Longview, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Longview, TX $5,471

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Longview, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Longview, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Longview, TX by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.86 $17.86

15.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$53.0 $53.0

68.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.70 $10.70

23.27%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.14 $6.14

-7.82%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.60 $2.60

1.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.46 $1.46

56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.96 $4.96

38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.20 $7.20

22.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.93 $0.93

34.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.96 $3.96

-6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.32 $3.32

62.35%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.66 $3.66

29.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.04 $11.04

25.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.81 $10.81

33.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.59 $18.59

-1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.77 $2.77

88.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.78 $1.78

11.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.78 $3.78

7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.70 $2.70

84.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.16 $2.16

23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.97 $1.97

35.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.90 $1.90

17.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.33 $1.33

135.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.97 $9.97

38.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.14 $14.14

5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.09 $2.09

21.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.20 $3.20

9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.02 $3.02

-19.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$65.9 $65.9

11.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.97 $2.97

7.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.25 $1.25

11.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.19 $24.19

3.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.85 $0.85

41.18%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.2K $28.2K

24.21%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.26%

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

$194 $194

$211 $211

-7.92%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$90.3 $90.3

-23.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$82.9 $82.9

-25.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$54.0 $54.0

-11.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.21 $15.21

17.09%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,931 $1,931

-7.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$27.8K $27.8K

15.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$44.17 $44.17

51.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$48.00 $48.00

8.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$96.6 $96.6

5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$129 $129

11.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,495 $1,495

69.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,268 $1,268

24.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,943 $2,943

61.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,642 $2,642

1.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,968 $1,968

112.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,893 $1,893

46.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,803 $3,803

29.66%

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 Longview, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Longview, TX

$1.3K 48.4% 19.6% $310

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Longview, TX

$352 13.4% 21.3% $95

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Longview, TX

$304 11.6% 11.9% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Longview, TX

$384 14.7% 18.1% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Longview, TX

$143 5.5% 12.8% $21

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Longview, TX

$87 3.3% 6.6% $6.2

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Longview, TX

$84 3.2% 1.1% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,495 in Longview, 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 30% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $53 in Longview, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $352 – making Longview, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Longview, TX

🕒 Local time

21:47 9:47 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

81,638

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Longview, TX 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,623 in Longview, TX – Longview, TX comes out roughly 14% 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 $3,935 in Longview, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Longview, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,495 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $53 in Longview, 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 Longview, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,623, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Longview, 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 $2,623 in Longview, TX to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Longview, 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.