Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Nacogdoches, TX: $1,737 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nacogdoches, TX, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Nacogdoches, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$1,737
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,737 per month in Nacogdoches, TX vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Nacogdoches, TX $1,737
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,506 per month in Nacogdoches, TX vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Nacogdoches, TX $2,506
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Nacogdoches, TX vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Nacogdoches, TX $3,274
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Nacogdoches, TX is about 43% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Nacogdoches, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Nacogdoches, TX by 28%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nacogdoches, TX
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.66 $13.66
$20.71 $20.71
-34.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.85 $36.85
$89.2 $89.2
-58.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.26 $9.26
$13.19 $13.19
-29.80%
Cappuccino
$4.13 $4.13
$5.66 $5.66
-27.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 $1.66
$2.64 $2.64
-37.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 $1.22
$2.28 $2.28
-46.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.14 $5.14
$6.87 $6.87
-25.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.06 $6.06
$8.84 $8.84
-31.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nacogdoches, TX
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.83 $0.83
$1.25 $1.25
-33.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.76 $2.76
$3.72 $3.72
-25.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.88 $3.88
$5.39 $5.39
-28.01%
Eggs
$3.01 $3.01
$4.74 $4.74
-36.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.20 $11.20
$13.84 $13.84
-19.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.79 $6.79
$14.40 $14.40
-52.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.03 $13.03
$18.38 $18.38
-29.11%
Apples (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$5.22 $5.22
-13.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 $1.29
$1.98 $1.98
-34.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.53 $4.53
$4.06 $4.06
11.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.77 $2.77
$4.97 $4.97
-44.27%
Potato (1kg)
$2.16 $2.16
$2.67 $2.67
-19.10%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.66 $2.66
-36.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.24 $2.24
-11.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$3.13 $3.13
-19.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.53 $8.53
$13.82 $13.82
-38.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.30 $10.30
$14.88 $14.88
-30.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.54 $2.54
-33.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 $4.39
$3.51 $3.51
25.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Nacogdoches, TX
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.04 $2.04
$2.43 $2.43
-16.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.6 $66.6
$73.5 $73.5
-9.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 $3.14
$3.18 $3.18
-1.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.39 $1.39
23.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.97 $29.97
$25.03 $25.03
19.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.20 $1.20
-28.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$35.0K $35.0K
-19.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K $24.4K
$26.7K $26.7K
-8.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nacogdoches, TX
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 $164
$194 $194
-15.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.88 $24.88
$69.5 $69.5
-64.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.9 $67.9
$61.6 $61.6
10.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nacogdoches, TX
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 $41.64
$47.90 $47.90
-13.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.34 $27.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.05 $15.05
$17.81 $17.81
-15.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nacogdoches, TX
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,420 $1,420
$1,794 $1,794
-20.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.0K $23.0K
$31.9K $31.9K
-28.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nacogdoches, TX
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.22 $22.22
$67.0 $67.0
-66.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.39 $25.39
$52.1 $52.1
-51.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.9 $65.9
$102 $102
-35.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.4 $96.4
$144 $144
-32.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nacogdoches, TX
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$887 $887
$2,526 $2,526
-64.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 $673
$1,578 $1,578
-57.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,259 $1,259
$4,738 $4,738
-73.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 $1,081
$2,693 $2,693
-59.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,718 $2,718
$4,190 $4,190
-35.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,423 $2,423
$2,768 $2,768
-12.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nacogdoches, TX
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,934 $6,934
$4,931 $4,931
40.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.62
6.81
-2.79%

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

Last update for Nacogdoches, TX: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nacogdoches, TX
$673
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 134% $905
Groceries & Markets
Nacogdoches, TX
$318
Chicago, IL
$447 40.5% $129
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nacogdoches, TX
$257
Chicago, IL
$326 26.7% $69
Eating Out
Nacogdoches, TX
$236
Chicago, IL
$345 46.1% $109
Clothing & Footwear
Nacogdoches, TX
$94
Chicago, IL
$164 73.7% $70
Getting Around
Nacogdoches, TX
$86
Chicago, IL
$93 8% $6.9
Sport & Entertainment
Nacogdoches, TX
$72
Chicago, IL
$84 16.4% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $887 in Nacogdoches, 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 41% higher in Nacogdoches, TX, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Nacogdoches, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $447 – making Nacogdoches, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Nacogdoches, TX
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
19:56 7:56 PM
19:56 7:56 PM
Same time as Nacogdoches, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,147
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nacogdoches, TX Chicago, IL 1,300 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Nacogdoches, 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
Nacogdoches, TX vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Nacogdoches, TX and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,737 in Nacogdoches, TX, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Nacogdoches, TX comes out roughly 43% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Nacogdoches, TX compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,606 per month in Nacogdoches, TX and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Nacogdoches, TX and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nacogdoches, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $887 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 41% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Nacogdoches, TX and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Nacogdoches, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,737, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Nacogdoches, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Nacogdoches, TX or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Nacogdoches, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Nacogdoches, TX or Chicago, IL?
For expats, Nacogdoches, TX is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 43% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Nacogdoches, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?