Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Katy, TX: $2,451 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Katy, TX
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Katy, TX Living Index
146

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

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Katy, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,451

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,451 per month in Katy, TX vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Katy, TX $2,451
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,581 per month in Katy, TX vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Katy, TX $3,581
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,711 per month in Katy, TX vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Katy, TX $4,711
Chicago, IL $6,019

Katy, TX is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Katy, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Katy, TX by 81%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 $16.88

$20.39 $20.39

-17.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$88.6 $88.6

-31.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 $8.85

$12.85 $12.85

-31.13%

Cappuccino

$3.49 $3.49

$5.78 $5.78

-39.62%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$2.74 $2.74

-27.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.26 $2.26

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 $4.07

$6.88 $6.88

-40.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 $5.53

$9.24 $9.24

-40.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.26 $1.26

-24.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.55 $3.55

-0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$5.38 $5.38

-43.12%

Eggs

$3.05 $3.05

$4.55 $4.55

-32.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$13.65 $13.65

-4.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$14.07 $14.07

-31.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.72 $16.72

$18.06 $18.06

-7.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$5.16 $5.16

-25.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.98 $1.98

-37.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$3.88 $3.88

-19.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$4.83 $4.83

-32.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.81 $2.81

-25.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.67 $2.67

-6.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.07 $2.07

-14.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$3.03 $3.03

-59.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.68 $9.68

$13.90 $13.90

-30.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 $12.75

$15.05 $15.05

-15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.63 $2.63

-35.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.45 $3.45

-54.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.43 $2.43

-16.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

$75.3 $75.3

41.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.17 $3.17

-15.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.70 $1.70

-7.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.07 $35.07

$24.90 $24.90

40.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.28 $1.28

-33.59%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-9.62%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-8.71%

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

$246 $246

$192 $192

27.93%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$69.6 $69.6

-15.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$62.2 $62.2

13.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.59 $25.59

$47.79 $47.79

-46.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.19 $25.19

$27.10 $27.10

-7.05%

Cinema Ticket

$11.91 $11.91

$17.83 $17.83

-33.20%

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

$1,009 $1,009

$1,815 $1,815

-44.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K $17.8K

$40.6K $40.6K

-56.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$66.2 $66.2

-20.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 $43.00

$51.4 $51.4

-16.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$103 $103

-15.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$143 $143

-23.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 $1,544

$2,531 $2,531

-39.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 $1,186

$1,621 $1,621

-26.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,750 $2,750

$4,828 $4,828

-43.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 $2,026

$2,734 $2,734

-25.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,098 $2,098

$4,163 $4,163

-49.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,542 $1,542

$2,723 $2,723

-43.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,102 $4,102

$4,924 $4,924

-16.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

6.78

-5.46%

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

Last update for Katy, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Katy, TX

$1.2K 48.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 36.7% $435

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Katy, TX

$375 15.3%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 13.7% $51

Groceries & Markets

Katy, TX

$332 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 32.1% $107

Eating Out

Katy, TX

$251 10.3%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 36.9% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Katy, TX

$131 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 24.6% $32

Getting Around

Katy, TX

$125 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 22.9% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Katy, TX

$49 2%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 68.8% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,544 in Katy, TX versus $2,531 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 20% 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 $61 in Katy, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $439 – making Katy, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Katy, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:02 6:02 PM

Same time as Katy, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,102

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Katy, TX Chicago, IL 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Katy, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,451 in Katy, TX, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Katy, TX comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,677 per month in Katy, TX and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Katy, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,544 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Katy, 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 $2,451 in Katy, TX and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Katy, 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 Katy, 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.