Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New Braunfels, TX and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in New Braunfels, TX: $2,563 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in New Braunfels, TX
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New Braunfels, TX Living Index
146

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

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New Braunfels, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,563

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,563 per month in New Braunfels, TX vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New Braunfels, TX $2,563
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,671 per month in New Braunfels, TX vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New Braunfels, TX $3,671
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,779 per month in New Braunfels, TX vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

New Braunfels, TX $4,779
Chicago, IL $6,019

New Braunfels, TX is about 17% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New Braunfels, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – New Braunfels, TX by 90%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.06 $15.06

$20.39 $20.39

-26.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$88.6 $88.6

-22.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 $11.84

$12.85 $12.85

-7.86%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$5.78 $5.78

-7.44%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$2.74 $2.74

7.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.26 $2.26

-20.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 $5.01

$6.88 $6.88

-27.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 $5.88

$9.24 $9.24

-36.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.26 $1.26

-39.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 $3.10

$3.55 $3.55

-12.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$5.38 $5.38

-60.41%

Eggs

$2.92 $2.92

$4.55 $4.55

-35.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.87 $11.87

$13.65 $13.65

-13.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 $9.34

$14.07 $14.07

-33.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 $12.37

$18.06 $18.06

-31.51%

Apples (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$5.16 $5.16

26.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.98 $1.98

-38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.88 $3.88

-17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.83 $4.83

-22.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.81 $2.81

-15.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.67 $2.67

12.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.07 $2.07

-14.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$3.03 $3.03

-44.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 $6.60

$13.90 $13.90

-52.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.05 $15.05

-8.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.63 $2.63

-36.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$3.45 $3.45

8.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 $152

$75.3 $75.3

101.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.13 $10.13

$3.17 $3.17

219.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.70 $1.70

6.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.28 $30.28

$24.90 $24.90

21.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.28 $1.28

-32.03%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.8K $35.8K

-23.94%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-4.45%

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

$176 $176

$192 $192

-8.20%

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

$40.72 $40.72

$69.6 $69.6

-41.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.7 $77.7

$62.2 $62.2

24.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.18 $33.18

$47.79 $47.79

-30.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$10.96 $10.96

$17.83 $17.83

-38.53%

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

$741 $741

$1,815 $1,815

-59.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$40.6K $40.6K

-74.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 $57.3

$66.2 $66.2

-13.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 $24.80

$51.4 $51.4

-51.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 $83.3

$103 $103

-19.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$143 $143

-15.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 $1,606

$2,531 $2,531

-36.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 $1,304

$1,621 $1,621

-19.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,335 $2,335

$4,828 $4,828

-51.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 $2,044

$2,734 $2,734

-25.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,921 $1,921

$4,163 $4,163

-53.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,877 $1,877

$2,723 $2,723

-31.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,396 $4,396

$4,924 $4,924

-10.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.78

-3.10%

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

Last update for New Braunfels, TX: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New Braunfels, TX

$1.3K 50.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 24.3% $317

Groceries & Markets

New Braunfels, TX

$334 13%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 31.6% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New Braunfels, TX

$295 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 9.9% $29

Eating Out

New Braunfels, TX

$276 10.8%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 24.7% $68

Getting Around

New Braunfels, TX

$171 * 6.7%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 43.4% $74

Clothing & Footwear

New Braunfels, TX

$129 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 27.1% $35

Sport & Entertainment

New Braunfels, TX

$55 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 51.4% $28

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,606 in New Braunfels, 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 12% 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 $69 in New Braunfels, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $334 vs $439 – making New Braunfels, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New Braunfels, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:16 10:16 AM

Same time as New Braunfels, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

90,403

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New Braunfels, TX Chicago, IL 1,650 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

New Braunfels, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,563 in New Braunfels, TX, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – New Braunfels, TX comes out roughly 17% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,845 per month in New Braunfels, 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 New Braunfels, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,606 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 $69 in New Braunfels, TX and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in New Braunfels, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,563, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In New Braunfels, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward New Braunfels, 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 New Braunfels, 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.