Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Spring, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Spring, TX: $2,456 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Spring, TX
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Spring, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Spring, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,456

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,456 in Spring, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Spring, TX $2,456

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,408 in Spring, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Spring, TX $3,408

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,361 in Spring, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Spring, TX $4,361

Chicago, IL costs about 24% more than Spring, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Spring, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Spring, TX by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.42 $16.42

26.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$50.5 $50.5

76.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.94 $10.94

20.57%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.65 $4.65

21.72%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.54 $1.54

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.45 $1.45

57.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.16 $5.16

33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.15 $6.15

43.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.17 $1.17

6.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.40 $2.40

55.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.37 $4.37

23.34%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.79 $2.79

69.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.18 $11.18

23.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.10 $10.10

42.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$10.46 $10.46

75.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.72 $3.72

40.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.57 $3.57

13.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.18 $3.18

56.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.51 $2.51

6.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.99 $2.99

-11.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.25 $1.25

79.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.05 $2.05

52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.06 $10.06

37.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.94 $14.94

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.18 $2.18

16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.21 $3.21

9.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.23 $1.23

97.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$90.9 $90.9

-19.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.59 $3.59

-11.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.75 $1.75

-20.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.58 $23.58

6.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.78 $0.78

53.85%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

29.35%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.07%

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

$194 $194

$179 $179

8.80%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$59.1 $59.1

17.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$53.6 $53.6

15.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$25.32 $25.32

89.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.86 $10.86

64.00%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$962 $962

86.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$18.7K $18.7K

70.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$51.3 $51.3

30.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.83 $39.83

30.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$75.7 $75.7

34.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$122 $122

17.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,651 $1,651

53.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,281 $1,281

23.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,294 $2,294

106.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,870 $1,870

43.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,557 $1,557

169.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,223 $1,223

126.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,811 $3,811

29.37%

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 Spring, TX: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Spring, TX

$1.3K 52.2% 18.8% $297

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Spring, TX

$328 13.4% 26.6% $119

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Spring, TX

$270 11% 21.7% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Spring, TX

$291 11.9% 10.5% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Spring, TX

$130 5.3% 20.6% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Spring, TX

$108 4.4% 15.8% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Spring, TX

$47 1.9% 43.7% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,651 in Spring, 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 29% 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 $50 in Spring, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $328 – making Spring, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Spring, TX

🕒 Local time

17:06 5:06 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

54,298

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Spring, TX 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,456 in Spring, TX – Spring, TX comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,684 in Spring, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Spring, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,651 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $50 in Spring, TX. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,456 in Spring, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Spring, 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 Spring, 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.