Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in McAllen, TX: $1,788 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
87

Cost of Living Index in McAllen, TX
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McAllen, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

McAllen, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$1,788

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,788 in McAllen, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
McAllen, TX $1,788

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,731 in McAllen, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
McAllen, TX $2,731

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,674 in McAllen, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
McAllen, TX $3,674

Chicago, IL costs about 78% more than McAllen, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and McAllen, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, McAllen, TX by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$18.21 $18.21

18.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$76.3 $76.3

16.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$7.93 $7.93

66.46%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.53 $4.53

23.40%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.44 $2.44

7.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.93 $1.93

17.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$4.97 $4.97

43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$5.40 $5.40

70.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.97 $0.97

31.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.94 $2.94

30.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.36 $4.36

16.28%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.37 $3.37

43.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$9.87 $9.87

43.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.58 $12.58

16.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$15.09 $15.09

24.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.14 $5.14

0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.39 $2.39

-16.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.28 $3.28

21.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.06 $2.06

141.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.96 $2.96

-5.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.62 $2.62

1.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.74 $1.74

22.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.09 $2.09

47.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$8.68 $8.68

84.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$15.75 $15.75

-3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.09 $2.09

25.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.22 $2.22

55.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.29 $4.29

-25.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.78 $0.78

78.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.89 $0.89

39.33%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$27.0K $27.0K

37.71%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.5K $23.5K

10.11%

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

$192 $192

$164 $164

16.98%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$37.59 $37.59

80.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$66.3 $66.3

-8.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$44.90 $44.90

19.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$12.23 $12.23

45.54%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$908 $908

71.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$78.5 $78.5

-13.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$44.89 $44.89

13.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$74.2 $74.2

36.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$96.6 $96.6

48.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$816 $816

192.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$669 $669

155.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$1,342 $1,342

248.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$1,144 $1,144

139.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$1,676 $1,676

148.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$1,700 $1,700

58.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$3,646 $3,646

34.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.48

4.48%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for McAllen, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

McAllen, TX

$669 37.4% 60.9% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

McAllen, TX

$364 20.4% 19.4% $87

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

McAllen, TX

$277 15.5% 21.5% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

McAllen, TX

$268 15% 16.4% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

McAllen, TX

$132 7.4% 19% $31

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

McAllen, TX

$8.2 * 0.5% 91.4% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

McAllen, TX

$69 3.9% 22.2% $20

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $816 in McAllen, 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 34% 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 $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $76.0 in McAllen, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $364 – making McAllen, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 McAllen, TX

🕒 Local time

20:20 8:20 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

142,210

💱 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 McAllen, TX 1,990 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $1,788 in McAllen, TX – roughly 78% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,682 in McAllen, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $76.0 in McAllen, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in McAllen, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,788, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In McAllen, 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 $1,788 in McAllen, TX to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with McAllen, 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.