Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Port Arthur, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Arthur, TX: $2,641 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Port Arthur, TX
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Port Arthur, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Port Arthur, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,641 in Port Arthur, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Port Arthur, TX $2,641

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,828 in Port Arthur, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Port Arthur, TX $3,828

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,016 in Port Arthur, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Port Arthur, TX $5,016

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

Both Chicago, IL and Port Arthur, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Port Arthur, TX by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.08 $19.08

6.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$74.6 $74.6

18.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.94 $10.94

17.46%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.21 $5.21

10.94%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.57 $2.57

6.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.02 $2.02

11.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.89 $5.89

16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.11 $7.11

29.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.05 $1.05

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.44 $3.44

3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.30 $4.30

25.12%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.18 $4.18

8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$12.27 $12.27

11.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.44 $11.44

22.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$15.28 $15.28

18.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.84 $4.84

6.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.64 $1.64

20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.29 $4.29

-9.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.63 $4.63

4.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.86 $2.86

-1.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.85 $2.85

-6.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.04 $2.04

1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.12 $2.12

42.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.37 $9.37

48.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.91 $13.91

8.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.86 $1.86

41.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.44 $3.44

0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$58.8 $58.8

27.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.42 $3.42

-7.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.59 $1.59

6.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$28.77 $28.77

-13.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.85 $0.85

50.59%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.4K $29.4K

21.83%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

6.67%

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

$192 $192

$189 $189

1.40%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$52.3 $52.3

33.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$68.6 $68.6

-9.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$42.23 $42.23

13.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.43 $13.43

32.76%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,273 $1,273

42.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$23.5K $23.5K

72.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$50.6 $50.6

30.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$39.98 $39.98

28.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$85.5 $85.5

20.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$110 $110

29.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,628 $1,628

55.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,359 $1,359

19.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,633 $2,633

83.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,186 $2,186

25.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,825 $2,825

47.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,430 $2,430

12.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.51

4.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Port Arthur, TX: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Port Arthur, TX

$1.4K 51.5% 16.1% $262

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Port Arthur, TX

$385 14.6% 12.4% $54

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Port Arthur, TX

$310 11.7% 9.9% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Port Arthur, TX

$310 11.8% 4.2% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Port Arthur, TX

$129 4.9% 21.3% $35

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Port Arthur, TX

$78 3% 18.9% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Port Arthur, TX

$69 2.6% 17.2% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,628 in Port Arthur, TX. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $75 in Port Arthur, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $385 – making Port Arthur, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Port Arthur, TX

🕒 Local time

10:18 10:18 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

54,135

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Port Arthur, TX 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,641 in Port Arthur, TX – Port Arthur, TX comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,961 in Port Arthur, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Port Arthur, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,628 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,641 in Port Arthur, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Port Arthur, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Port Arthur, TX is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 14% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.