Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Waco, TX: $2,447 a month against $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

153

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

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,169

/mo nomad

Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,447

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,169 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,447 in Waco, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,169
Waco, TX $2,447

A couple spends around $4,682 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,090 in Waco, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,682
Waco, TX $3,090

A family of three spends $6,196 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,734 in Waco, TX, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,196
Waco, TX $3,734

Chicago, IL costs about 30% more than Waco, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Waco, TX sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Waco, TX by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.62 $21.62

$15.21 $15.21

42.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.2 $91.2

$59.0 $59.0

54.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.09 $13.09

$12.18 $12.18

7.47%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.39 $5.39

7.24%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.77 $1.77

49.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.49 $1.49

53.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.93 $4.93

40.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$5.52 $5.52

61.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.76 $0.76

67.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.16 $3.16

24.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.03 $2.03

144.33%

Eggs

$4.64 $4.64

$2.78 $2.78

66.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.97 $13.97

$12.06 $12.06

15.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.37 $14.37

$9.70 $9.70

48.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.59 $18.59

$11.67 $11.67

59.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.83 $3.83

40.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.12 $1.12

72.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.86 $3.86

3.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.71 $3.71

33.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.27 $2.27

23.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.86 $2.86

-3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.76 $1.76

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$0.99 $0.99

215.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.71 $15.71

$8.54 $8.54

83.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$13.49 $13.49

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.68 $1.68

52.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.81 $3.81

-8.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.54 $1.54

61.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.4 $74.4

$40.12 $40.12

85.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 $3.23

$9.93 $9.93

-67.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.90 $1.90

-24.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.33 $24.33

$59.4 $59.4

-59.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.89 $0.89

40.45%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$36.2K $36.2K

-0.95%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.0K $25.0K

3.88%

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

$195 $195

$175 $175

10.90%

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

$69.0 $69.0

$40.53 $40.53

70.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$54.7 $54.7

13.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 $54.5

$27.96 $27.96

94.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$9.07 $9.07

96.69%

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

$1,513 $1,513

$747 $747

102.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$18.2K $18.2K

71.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$47.91 $47.91

42.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$38.27 $38.27

34.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$85.3 $85.3

18.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$95.4 $95.4

47.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 $2,437

$1,244 $1,244

95.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,662 $1,662

$1,328 $1,328

25.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,644 $4,644

$1,541 $1,541

201.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,751 $2,751

$1,374 $1,374

100.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,036 $4,036

$1,970 $1,970

104.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,677 $2,677

$1,955 $1,955

36.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,861 $4,861

$3,156 $3,156

54.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.49

4.31%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 6, 2026

Last update for Waco, TX: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53%

Waco, TX

$1.3K 55% 20.1% $334

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$450 14.3%

Waco, TX

$312 12.9% 30.5% $137

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$354 11.3%

Waco, TX

$272 11.3% 23.2% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.4%

Waco, TX

$271 11.2% 16.9% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$163 5.2%

Waco, TX

$120 5% 26.3% $43

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Waco, TX

$66 2.7% 30.6% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Waco, TX

$46 1.9% 48.9% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,437 in Chicago, IL versus $1,244 in Waco, 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 54% 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 $91.0 in Chicago, IL versus $59.0 in Waco, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $312 – making Waco, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🕒 Local time

11:34 11:34 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

138,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Waco, TX 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,169 in Chicago, IL, $2,447 in Waco, TX – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,753 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,670 in Waco, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 44% 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 $91.0 in Chicago, IL and $59.0 in Waco, TX. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Waco, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,447, than in Chicago, IL at $3,169. In Waco, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,447 in Waco, TX to $3,169 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Waco, 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.