Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and San Antonio, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in San Antonio, TX: $2,367 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 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
113

Cost of Living Index in San Antonio, TX
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San Antonio, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

San Antonio, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,367

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,367 in San Antonio, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
San Antonio, TX $2,367

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,599 in San Antonio, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
San Antonio, TX $3,599

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,831 in San Antonio, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
San Antonio, TX $4,831

Chicago, IL costs about 28% more than San Antonio, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and San Antonio, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, San Antonio, TX by 74%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.06 $18.06

14.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$71.0 $71.0

25.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.60 $10.60

24.43%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.17 $5.17

9.48%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.65 $2.65

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.74 $1.74

31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.40 $5.40

27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.84 $5.84

51.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.14 $1.14

9.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.31 $3.31

12.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.31 $4.31

25.06%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.68 $3.68

28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.28 $12.28

12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.79 $11.79

22.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.72 $17.72

3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.69 $4.69

11.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.55 $1.55

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.47 $4.47

-9.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.58 $3.58

38.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.48 $2.48

7.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.04 $3.04

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.92 $1.92

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.26 $2.26

38.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.02 $10.02

37.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.75 $14.75

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.69 $2.69

-5.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.50 $3.50

0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.32 $1.32

84.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$38.02 $38.02

93.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.43 $3.43

-7.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.77 $1.77

-21.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.31 $24.31

2.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.97 $0.97

23.71%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.9K $36.9K

-5.04%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

4.79%

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

$194 $194

$213 $213

-8.86%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$73.4 $73.4

-5.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$78.5 $78.5

-21.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$35.23 $35.23

35.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$20.42 $20.42

33.89%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.60 $14.60

21.99%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,283 $1,283

39.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$19.2K $19.2K

66.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$51.3 $51.3

30.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$49.62 $49.62

5.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$136 $136

-25.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$150 $150

-4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,437 $1,437

75.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,021 $1,021

54.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,887 $2,887

64.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,897 $1,897

41.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,357 $4,357

-3.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,761 $1,761

57.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,901 $3,901

26.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.44

5.75%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for San Antonio, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

San Antonio, TX

$1K 43.1% 35.3% $557

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

San Antonio, TX

$392 16.6% 12.3% $55

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

San Antonio, TX

$295 12.5% 14.6% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

San Antonio, TX

$365 15.4% 12.2% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

San Antonio, TX

$174 7.4% 6.2% $10

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

San Antonio, TX

$56 2.4% 40.5% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

San Antonio, TX

$64 2.7% 22.9% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,437 in San Antonio, 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 26% 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 $71 in San Antonio, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $392 – making San Antonio, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 San Antonio, TX

🕒 Local time

04:59 4:59 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

1,434,625

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL San Antonio, TX 1,690 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,367 in San Antonio, TX – roughly 28% 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 $3,551 in San Antonio, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Antonio, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,437 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $71 in San Antonio, 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 San Antonio, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,367, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In San Antonio, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Antonio, 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 San Antonio, 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.