Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and New Braunfels, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in New Braunfels, TX: $2,499 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 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
122

Cost of Living Index in New Braunfels, TX
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New Braunfels, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

New Braunfels, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,499

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,499 in New Braunfels, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
New Braunfels, TX $2,499

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,609 in New Braunfels, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
New Braunfels, TX $3,609

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,720 in New Braunfels, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
New Braunfels, TX $4,720

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than New Braunfels, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and New Braunfels, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, New Braunfels, TX by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.78 $14.78

40.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$68.2 $68.2

30.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.20 $12.20

8.11%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.63 $5.63

0.53%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.81 $2.81

-6.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.71 $1.71

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.03 $5.03

36.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.03 $6.03

46.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.81 $0.81

54.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.09 $3.09

20.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.02 $2.02

166.83%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.83 $2.83

67.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.23 $12.23

13.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.49 $9.49

51.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.55 $12.55

46.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.41 $6.41

-18.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.17 $1.17

69.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.29 $3.29

23.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.61 $3.61

37.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.33 $2.33

14.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.86 $2.86

-6.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.84 $1.84

21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.68 $1.68

86.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$6.29 $6.29

119.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.98 $13.98

6.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.68 $1.68

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.76 $3.76

-6.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$151 $151

-51.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$9.95 $9.95

-68.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.89 $1.89

-26.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.65 $29.65

-15.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.91 $0.91

31.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.6K $27.6K

27.03%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.78%

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

$194 $194

$178 $178

8.94%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$39.61 $39.61

75.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$55.1 $55.1

11.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$32.81 $32.81

45.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.05 $11.05

61.18%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$769 $769

133.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$17.7K $17.7K

80.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.5 $58.5

14.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$24.65 $24.65

111.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$83.7 $83.7

21.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$120 $120

20.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,594 $1,594

58.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,259 $1,259

25.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,337 $2,337

102.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,007 $2,007

34.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,868 $1,868

124.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,977 $1,977

39.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,347 $4,347

13.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for New Braunfels, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

New Braunfels, TX

$1.3K 50.4% 20.2% $319

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

New Braunfels, TX

$335 13.4% 25.2% $113

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

New Braunfels, TX

$278 11.1% 19.5% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

New Braunfels, TX

$273 10.9% 16.1% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

New Braunfels, TX

$129 5.2% 21.4% $35

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

New Braunfels, TX

$171 * 6.8% 82.7% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

New Braunfels, TX

$55 2.2% 34.3% $29

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 $1,594 in New Braunfels, 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 13% 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 $68 in New Braunfels, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $335 – making New Braunfels, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 New Braunfels, TX

🕒 Local time

09:10 9:10 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

90,403

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL New Braunfels, TX 1,650 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,499 in New Braunfels, TX – roughly 22% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,749 in New Braunfels, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in New Braunfels, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,594 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL and $68 in New Braunfels, 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 New Braunfels, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,499, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In New Braunfels, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward New Braunfels, 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 New Braunfels, 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.