Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in San Marcos, TX: $2,383 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 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
114

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

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

San Marcos, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,383

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,383 in San Marcos, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
San Marcos, TX $2,383

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,556 in San Marcos, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
San Marcos, TX $3,556

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,729 in San Marcos, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
San Marcos, TX $4,729

Chicago, IL costs about 27% more than San Marcos, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and San Marcos, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, San Marcos, TX by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.07 $15.07

37.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$60.1 $60.1

48.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.88 $11.88

11.03%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.58 $4.58

23.58%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.93 $2.93

-9.90%

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

$4.93 $4.93

39.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.17 $6.17

43.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.77 $0.77

62.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.27 $3.27

13.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.80 $3.80

41.84%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.89 $2.89

64.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.91 $9.91

39.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.79 $9.79

47.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.29 $13.29

38.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.50 $6.50

-19.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.16 $1.16

70.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.56 $6.56

-38.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.90 $4.90

1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.88 $3.88

-31.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.96 $2.96

-10.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.83 $1.83

22.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.86 $1.86

68.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.11 $9.11

51.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.83 $13.83

7.59%

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

$3.78 $3.78

-7.14%

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

$4.62 $4.62

-31.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.82 $1.82

-23.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$60.9 $60.9

-58.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.83 $0.83

44.58%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

31.26%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.68%

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

$194 $194

$137 $137

41.73%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$40.64 $40.64

70.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$55.9 $55.9

10.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$68.4 $68.4

-29.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.15 $11.15

59.73%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$679 $679

164.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$17.7K $17.7K

80.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$59.9 $59.9

11.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$37.71 $37.71

38.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$84.2 $84.2

20.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$123 $123

16.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,317 $1,317

91.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,274 $1,274

23.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,789 $2,789

69.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,266 $2,266

18.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,417 $2,417

73.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,914 $1,914

44.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,174 $3,174

55.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.45

5.58%

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 Marcos, TX: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

San Marcos, TX

$1.3K 53.5% 19.2% $304

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

San Marcos, TX

$367 15.4% 18% $81

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

San Marcos, TX

$267 11.2% 22.7% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

San Marcos, TX

$234 9.8% 28.2% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

San Marcos, TX

$137 5.8% 16.3% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

San Marcos, TX

$14 * 0.6% 85.3% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

San Marcos, TX

$91 3.8% 8.6% $7.2

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 $1,317 in San Marcos, 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 55% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $60 in San Marcos, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $367 – making San Marcos, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 San Marcos, TX

🕒 Local time

13:06 1:06 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

44,894

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL San Marcos, TX 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,383 in San Marcos, TX – roughly 27% 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 $3,575 in San Marcos, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Marcos, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,317 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $60 in San Marcos, TX. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,383 in San Marcos, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,383 in San Marcos, TX to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with San Marcos, 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.