Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Del Rio, TX and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Del Rio, TX: $1,967 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Del Rio, TX
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Del Rio, TX Living Index
152

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

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Del Rio, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$1,967

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Del Rio, TX and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Del Rio, TX and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,967 per month in Del Rio, TX vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Del Rio, TX $1,967
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,939 per month in Del Rio, TX vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Del Rio, TX $2,939
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,911 per month in Del Rio, TX vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Del Rio, TX $3,911
Chicago, IL $6,115

Del Rio, TX is about 37% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Del Rio, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Del Rio, TX by 45%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.11 $18.11

$20.65 $20.65

-12.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.13 $48.13

$90.2 $90.2

-46.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 $10.65

$12.94 $12.94

-17.70%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$5.60 $5.60

-5.36%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$2.64 $2.64

-19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.27 $2.27

-22.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 $4.03

$6.98 $6.98

-42.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$8.83 $8.83

-43.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.27 $1.27

-9.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.28 $3.28

$3.80 $3.80

-13.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$5.30 $5.30

-16.98%

Eggs

$3.74 $3.74

$4.76 $4.76

-21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 $12.19

$13.96 $13.96

-12.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 $11.66

$14.61 $14.61

-20.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$18.77 $18.77

-3.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.19 $5.19

-8.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.93 $3.93

13.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.96 $4.96

-30.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.76 $2.76

-5.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.76 $2.76

7.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.22 $2.22

-11.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.98 $2.98

-26.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 $10.00

$14.02 $14.02

-28.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$15.28 $15.28

-0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.58 $2.58

6.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.34 $3.34

5.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.43 $1.43

29.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.12 $24.12

$24.32 $24.32

-0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.26 $1.26

-21.43%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

4.90%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.76%

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

$211 $211

$193 $193

9.69%

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

$73.5 $73.5

$68.3 $68.3

7.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.3 $61.3

29.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$14.54 $14.54

$17.74 $17.74

-18.04%

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

$1,278 $1,278

$1,652 $1,652

-22.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K $19.1K

$31.1K $31.1K

-38.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 $51.0

$66.1 $66.1

-22.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.83 $48.83

$51.2 $51.2

-4.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 $134

$100 $100

33.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$141 $141

8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 $821

$2,446 $2,446

-66.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 $708

$1,678 $1,678

-57.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 $1,511

$4,717 $4,717

-67.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$2,795 $2,795

-54.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,708 $1,708

$4,105 $4,105

-58.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,667 $1,667

$2,650 $2,650

-37.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.81

-5.43%

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

Last update for Del Rio, TX: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Del Rio, TX

$708 36%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 137% $970

Groceries & Markets

Del Rio, TX

$394 20%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 14.2% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Del Rio, TX

$364 18.5%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 11.5% $42

Eating Out

Del Rio, TX

$286 14.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 20.1% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Del Rio, TX

$174 8.8%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 7.2% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Del Rio, TX

$29 * 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 208% $61

Getting Around

Del Rio, TX

$13 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 646% $82

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $821 in Del Rio, TX versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. 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 $48.00 in Del Rio, TX versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $449 – making Del Rio, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Del Rio, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:36 2:36 AM

Same time as Del Rio, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,673

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Del Rio, TX Chicago, IL 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Del Rio, TX
Chicago, IL

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

Del Rio, TX vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,967 in Del Rio, TX, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 60% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,951 per month in Del Rio, TX and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Del Rio, 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 $48.00 in Del Rio, TX and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Del Rio, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,967, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Del Rio, 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 $1,967 in Del Rio, 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 Del Rio, 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.