Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Santa Anna, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Anna, TX: $2,579 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Santa Anna, TX
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Santa Anna, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Santa Anna, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,579

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,579 in Santa Anna, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Santa Anna, TX $2,579

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,763 in Santa Anna, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Santa Anna, TX $3,763

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,948 in Santa Anna, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Santa Anna, TX $4,948

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than Santa Anna, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Santa Anna, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Santa Anna, TX by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$21.09 $21.09

-2.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$82.4 $82.4

9.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.10 $12.10

6.94%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.20 $5.20

7.69%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.36 $2.36

11.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.06 $2.06

10.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.58 $5.58

25.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.28 $6.28

40.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.05 $1.05

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.63 $3.63

4.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.43 $4.43

19.64%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$4.27 $4.27

11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.07 $12.07

15.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.42 $11.42

27.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.22 $17.22

9.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.62 $4.62

12.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.45 $1.45

36.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.69 $3.69

6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.84 $4.84

2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.90 $2.90

-4.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.17 $2.17

2.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.21 $2.21

34.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.02 $10.02

39.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.65 $14.65

4.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.92 $1.92

34.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.34 $3.34

4.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.09 $2.09

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.50 $3.50

-4.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.99 $1.99

-28.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$31.03 $31.03

-21.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.97 $0.97

29.90%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

12.51%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.85%

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

$193 $193

$200 $200

-3.62%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$58.5 $58.5

16.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$69.2 $69.2

-11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.34 $41.34

30.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.24 $14.24

24.58%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,373 $1,373

20.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$23.9K $23.9K

29.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$48.26 $48.26

36.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$38.93 $38.93

31.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$85.8 $85.8

16.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$109 $109

28.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,578 $1,578

55.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,315 $1,315

27.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,463 $2,463

91.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,121 $2,121

31.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,447 $2,447

67.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,181 $2,181

21.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

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 19, 2026

Last update for Santa Anna, TX: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Santa Anna, TX

$1.3K 51% 21.6% $363

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Santa Anna, TX

$392 15.2% 12.7% $57

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Santa Anna, TX

$326 12.6% 5.2% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Santa Anna, TX

$328 12.7% 1.6% $5.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Santa Anna, TX

$127 4.9% 21.2% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Santa Anna, TX

$22 * 0.9% 77.1% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Santa Anna, TX

$70 2.7% 22.1% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,578 in Santa Anna, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $82.0 in Santa Anna, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $392 – making Santa Anna, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Santa Anna, TX

🕒 Local time

03:11 3:11 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

1,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Santa Anna, TX 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Santa Anna, 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 Santa Anna, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,579 in Santa Anna, TX – roughly 22% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,868 in Santa Anna, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Anna, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $82.0 in Santa Anna, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,579 in Santa Anna, 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 $2,579 in Santa Anna, TX to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Anna, 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.