Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Lubbock, TX: $2,098 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

101

Cost of Living Index in Lubbock, TX
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Lubbock, TX Living Index
147

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

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Lubbock, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,098

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,098 per month in Lubbock, TX vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lubbock, TX $2,098
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,055 per month in Lubbock, TX vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lubbock, TX $3,055
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,013 per month in Lubbock, TX vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lubbock, TX $4,013
Chicago, IL $5,999

Lubbock, TX is about 31% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lubbock, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Lubbock, TX by 54%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.04 $15.04

$20.71 $20.71

-27.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$89.2 $89.2

-15.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$13.19 $13.19

-7.58%

Cappuccino

$7.37 $7.37

$5.66 $5.66

30.21%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$2.64 $2.64

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.28 $2.28

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.05 $7.05

$6.87 $6.87

2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.68 $8.68

$8.84 $8.84

-1.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.25 $1.25

-26.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.72 $3.72

-7.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$5.39 $5.39

-24.49%

Eggs

$3.53 $3.53

$4.74 $4.74

-25.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.54 $22.54

$13.84 $13.84

62.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 $11.03

$14.40 $14.40

-23.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.62 $18.62

$18.38 $18.38

1.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.22 $5.22

-5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.98 $1.98

-15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$4.06 $4.06

-12.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$4.97 $4.97

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$2.67 $2.67

-60.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$2.66 $2.66

3.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.24 $2.24

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.13 $3.13

16.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 $10.09

$13.82 $13.82

-26.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.30 $20.30

$14.88 $14.88

36.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.54 $2.54

-32.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.51 $3.51

39.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.43 $2.43

-58.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.14 $30.14

$73.5 $73.5

-59.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.39 $1.39

235.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.20 $1.20

-21.67%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.29%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.25%

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

$198 $198

$194 $194

1.96%

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

$85.6 $85.6

$69.5 $69.5

23.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 $72.8

$61.6 $61.6

18.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.26 $21.26

$47.90 $47.90

-55.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 $12.81

$17.81 $17.81

-28.07%

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

$657 $657

$1,794 $1,794

-63.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 $65.0

$67.0 $67.0

-3.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.4 $74.4

$52.1 $52.1

42.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 $65.2

$102 $102

-35.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 $1,167

$2,526 $2,526

-53.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 $781

$1,578 $1,578

-50.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$4,738 $4,738

-66.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$2,693 $2,693

-57.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,648 $1,648

$4,190 $4,190

-60.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,332 $1,332

$2,768 $2,768

-51.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,543 $3,543

$4,931 $4,931

-28.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.81

-5.58%

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

Last update for Lubbock, 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

Lubbock, TX

$781 37.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 102% $797

Groceries & Markets

Lubbock, TX

$450 21.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 0.6% $2.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lubbock, TX

$357 17%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 8.7% $31

Eating Out

Lubbock, TX

$314 15%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.9% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Lubbock, TX

$92 * 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 78.1% $72

Getting Around

Lubbock, TX

$57 * 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 62.4% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Lubbock, TX

$47 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 78.1% $37

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,167 in Lubbock, 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 39% 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 $75 in Lubbock, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $450 in Lubbock, TX vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lubbock, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

15:28 3:28 PM

Same time as Lubbock, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

257,141

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Lubbock, TX Chicago, IL 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Lubbock, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,098 in Lubbock, TX, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Lubbock, TX comes out roughly 31% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,146 per month in Lubbock, 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 Lubbock, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,167 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Lubbock, TX and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Lubbock, TX. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lubbock, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,098, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Lubbock, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lubbock, 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 Lubbock, 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.