Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Lufkin, TX: $2,251 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

108

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

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

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Lufkin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,251

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,251 per month in Lufkin, TX vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lufkin, TX $2,251
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,631 per month in Lufkin, TX vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lufkin, TX $3,631
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,011 per month in Lufkin, TX vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lufkin, TX $5,011
Chicago, IL $5,999

Lufkin, TX is about 26% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lufkin, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Lufkin, TX by 65%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.07 $20.07

$20.71 $20.71

-3.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 $77.6

$89.2 $89.2

-12.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 $9.94

$13.19 $13.19

-24.64%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$5.66 $5.66

-3.00%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$2.64 $2.64

0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.28 $2.28

2.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.99 $6.99

$6.87 $6.87

1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.51 $7.51

$8.84 $8.84

-15.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.25 $1.25

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.72 $3.72

-16.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$5.39 $5.39

-26.35%

Eggs

$5.80 $5.80

$4.74 $4.74

22.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.97 $22.97

$13.84 $13.84

65.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 $11.84

$14.40 $14.40

-17.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.63 $19.63

$18.38 $18.38

6.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$5.22 $5.22

-11.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.98 $1.98

-21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$4.06 $4.06

-32.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.97 $4.97

-38.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.67 $2.67

3.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.66 $2.66

-5.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.24 $2.24

-13.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.13 $3.13

-5.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$13.82 $13.82

-26.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$14.88 $14.88

35.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.54 $2.54

-33.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$3.51 $3.51

-5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.43 $2.43

-24.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.7 $58.7

$73.5 $73.5

-20.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.18 $3.18

-4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.39 $1.39

38.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.47 $27.47

$25.03 $25.03

9.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.20 $1.20

-23.33%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.58%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.09%

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

$202 $202

$194 $194

3.83%

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

$47.10 $47.10

$69.5 $69.5

-32.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 $56.1

$61.6 $61.6

-8.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 $37.91

$47.90 $47.90

-20.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 $14.96

$17.81 $17.81

-16.00%

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

$1,167 $1,167

$1,794 $1,794

-34.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K $26.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

-16.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 $60.6

$67.0 $67.0

-9.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 $38.64

$52.1 $52.1

-25.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 $84.7

$102 $102

-16.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 $66.4

$144 $144

-53.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 $1,152

$2,526 $2,526

-54.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$923 $923

$1,578 $1,578

-41.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,553 $2,553

$4,738 $4,738

-46.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 $2,066

$2,693 $2,693

-23.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,093 $3,093

$4,190 $4,190

-26.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,079 $2,079

$2,768 $2,768

-24.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Lufkin, TX: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lufkin, TX

$923 41%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 71% $655

Groceries & Markets

Lufkin, TX

$438 19.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 2.2% $9.6

Eating Out

Lufkin, TX

$326 14.5%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 5.7% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lufkin, TX

$305 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6.7% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Lufkin, TX

$113 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 45.6% $51

Getting Around

Lufkin, TX

$79 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 18.8% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Lufkin, TX

$68 3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 23.1% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,152 in Lufkin, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Lufkin, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $438 vs $447 – making Lufkin, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lufkin, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:19 4:19 PM

Same time as Lufkin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,085

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

Lufkin, TX Chicago, IL 1,330 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Lufkin, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,251 in Lufkin, TX, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Lufkin, TX comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,377 per month in Lufkin, 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 Lufkin, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,152 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Lufkin, 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 20% less in Lufkin, TX. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,251 in Lufkin, 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 Lufkin, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.