Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Round Rock, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Round Rock, TX: $2,333 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 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
112

Cost of Living Index in Round Rock, TX
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Round Rock, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Round Rock, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,333

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,333 in Round Rock, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Round Rock, TX $2,333

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,460 in Round Rock, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Round Rock, TX $3,460

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,587 in Round Rock, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Round Rock, TX $4,587

Chicago, IL costs about 30% more than Round Rock, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Round Rock, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Round Rock, TX by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.33 $20.33

1.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.1 $79.1

12.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.13 $12.13

8.74%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.04 $6.04

-6.29%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.84 $2.84

-7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.38 $2.38

-4.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.85 $7.85

-12.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.99 $8.99

-1.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.10 $1.10

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.69 $3.69

0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.20 $3.20

68.44%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.64 $3.64

30.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.90 $12.90

7.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.08 $14.08

2.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.44 $16.44

11.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.79 $4.79

8.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.63 $1.63

21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.01 $5.01

-18.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.60 $4.60

8.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.53 $2.53

5.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.31 $2.31

15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.80 $1.80

24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.11 $2.11

48.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.91 $9.91

39.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.71 $14.71

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.08 $2.08

22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.33 $3.33

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.78 $2.78

14.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.61 $1.61

-13.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.87 $23.87

4.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.3K $34.3K

2.28%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.05%

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

$194 $194

$225 $225

-13.72%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$59.2 $59.2

17.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.6 $69.6

-11.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$49.18 $49.18

-2.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.79 $13.79

29.15%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,456 $1,456

23.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.0K $21.0K

51.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$61.5 $61.5

8.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.13 $43.13

20.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.5 $86.5

17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$102 $102

40.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,186 $1,186

112.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,008 $1,008

56.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,827 $1,827

159.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,686 $1,686

59.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,705 $2,705

54.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,703 $2,703

2.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,730 $4,730

4.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.65

2.41%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Round Rock, TX: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Round Rock, TX

$1K 43.2% 36.1% $570

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Round Rock, TX

$402 17.2% 10.2% $46

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Round Rock, TX

$350 15% 1.4% $4.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Round Rock, TX

$354 15.2% 8.8% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Round Rock, TX

$132 5.7% 19.5% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Round Rock, TX

$11 * 0.5% 88.4% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Round Rock, TX

$77 3.3% 8.1% $6.8

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 $1,186 in Round Rock, 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 4% 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 $79 in Round Rock, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $402 – making Round Rock, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Round Rock, TX

🕒 Local time

04:21 4:21 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

119,468

💱 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 Round Rock, TX 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,333 in Round Rock, TX – Round Rock, TX comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,500 in Round Rock, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Round Rock, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,186 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Round Rock, TX. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Round Rock, 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 Round Rock, 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.