Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tyler, TX: $2,431 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 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
117

Cost of Living Index in Tyler, TX
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Tyler, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Tyler, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,431

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,431 in Tyler, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Tyler, TX $2,431

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,503 in Tyler, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Tyler, TX $3,503

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,574 in Tyler, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Tyler, TX $4,574

Chicago, IL costs about 25% more than Tyler, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Tyler, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Tyler, TX by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.84 $14.84

39.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$60.7 $60.7

46.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.56 $9.56

37.97%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$3.97 $3.97

42.57%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.13 $2.13

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.68 $2.68

-14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.51 $4.51

52.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.86 $6.86

28.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.15 $4.15

-10.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.25 $2.25

139.56%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.91 $3.91

21.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.57 $14.57

-5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.47 $11.47

25.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$12.39 $12.39

48.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.14 $6.14

-14.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.99 $1.99

-0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.75 $4.75

-14.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.65 $4.65

6.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.15 $3.15

-15.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.00 $3.00

-11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.83 $1.83

22.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.58 $2.58

21.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.91 $9.91

39.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.72 $14.72

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.42 $2.42

4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.41 $5.41

-35.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.02 $1.02

138.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$39.66 $39.66

85.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.89 $3.89

-18.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.18 $3.18

-56.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.86 $0.86

39.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.4K $36.4K

-3.79%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$30.5K $30.5K

-12.62%

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

$194 $194

$287 $287

-32.35%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$69.9 $69.9

-0.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$77.9 $77.9

-20.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$30.01 $30.01

59.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$3.55 $3.55

670.14%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.88 $11.88

49.92%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$647 $647

177.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$9,945 $9,945

221.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$53.7 $53.7

24.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$68.9 $68.9

-24.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$95.1 $95.1

6.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$194 $194

-25.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,157 $1,157

118.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,038 $1,038

52.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,874 $1,874

152.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,685 $1,685

59.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,173 $2,173

92.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,841 $1,841

50.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,286 $3,286

50.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.1

11.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tyler, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Tyler, TX

$1K 42.7% 34.3% $541

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Tyler, TX

$405 16.7% 9.4% $42

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Tyler, TX

$251 10.3% 27.4% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Tyler, TX

$435 17.9% 33.7% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Tyler, TX

$185 7.6% 13% $21

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Tyler, TX

$64 2.6% 32% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Tyler, TX

$54 2.2% 35.6% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,157 in Tyler, 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 50% 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 $61 in Tyler, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $405 – making Tyler, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Tyler, TX

🕒 Local time

15:45 3:45 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

103,700

💱 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 Tyler, TX 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,431 in Tyler, TX – Tyler, TX comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,647 in Tyler, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tyler, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,157 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $61 in Tyler, 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 $2,431 in Tyler, TX. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Tyler, 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 Tyler, 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.