Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Paso, TX and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in El Paso, TX: $2,120 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in El Paso, TX
Learn more

El Paso, TX Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

El Paso, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,120

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,120 per month in El Paso, TX vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

El Paso, TX $2,120
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,183 per month in El Paso, TX vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

El Paso, TX $3,183
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,246 per month in El Paso, TX vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

El Paso, TX $4,246
Chicago, IL $5,999

El Paso, TX is about 30% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both El Paso, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – El Paso, TX by 56%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.60 $18.60

$20.71 $20.71

-10.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 $78.2

$89.2 $89.2

-12.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$13.19 $13.19

-7.28%

Cappuccino

$6.11 $6.11

$5.66 $5.66

7.95%

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

$2.38 $2.38

$2.64 $2.64

-9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.28 $2.28

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.82 $5.82

$6.87 $6.87

-15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$8.84 $8.84

-22.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.25 $1.25

-30.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.72 $3.72

-19.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$5.39 $5.39

-54.17%

Eggs

$3.60 $3.60

$4.74 $4.74

-24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.11 $12.11

$13.84 $13.84

-12.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.74 $11.74

$14.40 $14.40

-18.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 $13.03

$18.38 $18.38

-29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.22 $5.22

-32.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.98 $1.98

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$4.06 $4.06

-35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$4.97 $4.97

-28.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.67 $2.67

-19.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.66 $2.66

6.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.24 $2.24

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$3.13 $3.13

-49.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$13.82 $13.82

-28.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.78 $9.78

$14.88 $14.88

-34.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.54 $2.54

-20.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.51 $3.51

40.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.43 $2.43

-37.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.34 $48.34

$73.5 $73.5

-34.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 $1.67

$3.18 $3.18

-47.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.39 $1.39

-1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 $27.43

$25.03 $25.03

9.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.20 $1.20

-24.17%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.31%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.55%

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

$162 $162

$194 $194

-16.86%

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

$72.6 $72.6

$69.5 $69.5

4.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$61.6 $61.6

9.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.51 $17.51

$47.90 $47.90

-63.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.44 $8.44

$27.34 $27.34

-69.13%

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$17.81 $17.81

-31.78%

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

$689 $689

$1,794 $1,794

-61.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,862 $6,862

$31.9K $31.9K

-78.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.41 $46.41

$67.0 $67.0

-30.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 $35.88

$52.1 $52.1

-31.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$102 $102

1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$178 $178

$144 $144

24.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 $1,050

$2,526 $2,526

-58.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$904 $904

$1,578 $1,578

-42.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$4,738 $4,738

-66.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,497 $1,497

$2,693 $2,693

-44.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 $1,983

$4,190 $4,190

-52.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 $1,681

$2,768 $2,768

-39.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,323 $3,323

$4,931 $4,931

-32.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.81

-4.41%

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

Last update for El Paso, TX: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

El Paso, TX

$904 42.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 74.7% $675

Groceries & Markets

El Paso, TX

$329 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 35.9% $118

Eating Out

El Paso, TX

$317 15%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 8.7% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

El Paso, TX

$302 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 7.9% $24

Clothing & Footwear

El Paso, TX

$164 7.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 0.1% $0.2

Getting Around

El Paso, TX

$63 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 48.4% $30

Sport & Entertainment

El Paso, TX

$42 2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 99.8% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,050 in El Paso, TX versus $2,526 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.

Salaries run about 48% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in El Paso, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $447 – making El Paso, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 El Paso, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

20:20 8:20 PM

21:20 9:20 PM

1 h ahead of El Paso, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

678,815

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

El Paso, TX Chicago, IL 2,010 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

El Paso, 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

El Paso, TX vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,120 in El Paso, TX, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – El Paso, TX comes out roughly 30% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,180 per month in El Paso, TX and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Paso, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,050 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 $78 in El Paso, TX and $89 in Chicago, IL. 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 $2,120 in El Paso, TX and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward El Paso, 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 El Paso, 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.