Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Livingston, TX: $2,037 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

98

Cost of Living Index in Livingston, TX
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Livingston, TX Living Index
152

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

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Livingston, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,037

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,037 per month in Livingston, TX vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Livingston, TX $2,037
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,765 per month in Livingston, TX vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Livingston, TX $2,765
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,492 per month in Livingston, TX vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Livingston, TX $3,492
Chicago, IL $6,115

Livingston, TX is about 35% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Livingston, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Livingston, TX by 50%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 $19.80

$20.65 $20.65

-4.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 $64.5

$90.2 $90.2

-28.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.90 $12.90

$12.94 $12.94

-0.31%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$5.60 $5.60

-6.07%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$2.64 $2.64

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.27 $2.27

-21.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$6.98 $6.98

-27.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 $5.51

$8.83 $8.83

-37.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.27 $1.27

-12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.80 $3.80

-39.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.30 $5.30

-16.42%

Eggs

$3.11 $3.11

$4.76 $4.76

-34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 $8.54

$13.96 $13.96

-38.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.61 $14.61

0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.84 $12.84

$18.77 $18.77

-31.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.19 $5.19

-15.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.98 $1.98

-2.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.93 $3.93

-42.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$4.96 $4.96

-42.74%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.76 $2.76

21.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.76 $2.76

18.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.22 $2.22

9.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.98 $2.98

2.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 $5.97

$14.02 $14.02

-57.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 $11.68

$15.28 $15.28

-23.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.58 $2.58

-17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$3.50 $3.50

-48.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.80 $14.80

$24.32 $24.32

-39.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.26 $1.26

-32.54%

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

$48.2K $48.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

37.55%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

-7.29%

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

$242 $242

$193 $193

25.71%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$68.3 $68.3

-14.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$61.3 $61.3

12.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.82 $9.82

$54.1 $54.1

-81.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.82 $12.82

$17.74 $17.74

-27.73%

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

$1,652 $1,652

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.46 $24.46

$66.1 $66.1

-62.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.64 $19.64

$51.2 $51.2

-61.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 $91.0

$100 $100

-9.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 $65.6

$141 $141

-53.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,021 $1,021

$2,446 $2,446

-58.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 $867

$1,678 $1,678

-48.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 $1,216

$4,717 $4,717

-74.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$2,795 $2,795

-63.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,957 $3,957

$4,866 $4,866

-18.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

6.81

-1.47%

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

Last update for Livingston, TX: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Livingston, TX

$867 42.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 93.4% $810

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Livingston, TX

$370 18.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 12.8% $47

Groceries & Markets

Livingston, TX

$359 17.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 25.1% $90

Eating Out

Livingston, TX

$315 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 9% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Livingston, TX

$90 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 78.5% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Livingston, TX

$35 1.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 153% $54

Getting Around

Livingston, TX

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,021 in Livingston, 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.

Salaries run about 23% 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 $65.0 in Livingston, TX versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $449 – making Livingston, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Livingston, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:40 10:40 AM

Same time as Livingston, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,400

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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Highest

Between locations

Livingston, TX Chicago, IL 1,400 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Livingston, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,037 in Livingston, TX, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 54% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,056 per month in Livingston, 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 Livingston, 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 $65.0 in Livingston, TX and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,037 in Livingston, TX and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. That's a gap of about 54%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Livingston, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,037, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Livingston, 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 $2,037 in Livingston, TX to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Livingston, 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.