Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Lubbock, TX: $2,098 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 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
101

Cost of Living Index in Lubbock, TX
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Lubbock, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Lubbock, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,098

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,098 in Lubbock, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Lubbock, TX $2,098

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,055 in Lubbock, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Lubbock, TX $3,055

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,013 in Lubbock, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Lubbock, TX $4,013

Chicago, IL costs about 45% more than Lubbock, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Lubbock, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Lubbock, TX by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.04 $15.04

37.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.2 $75.2

18.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.19 $12.19

8.20%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$7.37 $7.37

-23.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.40 $2.40

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.56 $1.56

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.05 $7.05

-2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.68 $8.68

1.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.92 $0.92

35.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.45 $3.45

7.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.07 $4.07

32.43%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.53 $3.53

34.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$22.54 $22.54

-38.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.03 $11.03

30.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.62 $18.62

-1.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.91 $4.91

6.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.67 $1.67

18.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.56 $3.56

14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.45 $5.45

-8.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.06 $1.06

151.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.75 $2.75

-3.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.41 $2.41

-7.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.65 $3.65

-14.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.09 $10.09

36.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$20.30 $20.30

-26.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.71 $1.71

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.90 $4.90

-28.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.02 $1.02

138.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$30.14 $30.14

143.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$4.66 $4.66

-70.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.94 $0.94

27.66%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.9K $26.9K

30.36%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.27%

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

$194 $194

$198 $198

-1.92%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$85.6 $85.6

-18.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$72.8 $72.8

-15.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$21.26 $21.26

125.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.81 $12.81

39.03%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$657 $657

173.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$65.0 $65.0

3.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$74.4 $74.4

-29.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$65.2 $65.2

55.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,167 $1,167

116.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$781 $781

102.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,597 $1,597

196.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,141 $1,141

136.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,648 $1,648

154.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,332 $1,332

107.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,543 $3,543

39.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.43

5.91%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lubbock, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Lubbock, TX

$781 37.2% 50.5% $797

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Lubbock, TX

$450 21.5% 0.6% $2.5

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Lubbock, TX

$314 15% 9% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Lubbock, TX

$357 17% 9.6% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Lubbock, TX

$92 * 4.4% 43.9% $72

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Lubbock, TX

$57 * 2.7% 38.4% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Lubbock, TX

$47 2.2% 43.9% $37

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,167 in Lubbock, 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 39% 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 $75 in Lubbock, TX. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $450 in Lubbock, TX – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lubbock, TX

🕒 Local time

20:34 8:34 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

257,141

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,098 in Lubbock, TX – Lubbock, TX comes out roughly 31% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,146 in Lubbock, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lubbock, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,167 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Lubbock, TX. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Lubbock, TX. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lubbock, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,098, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Lubbock, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lubbock, 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 Lubbock, 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.