Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Palestine, TX: $2,544 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

122

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

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

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Palestine, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,544

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,544 per month in Palestine, TX vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Palestine, TX $2,544
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,597 per month in Palestine, TX vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Palestine, TX $3,597
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,649 per month in Palestine, TX vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Palestine, TX $4,649
Chicago, IL $5,999

Palestine, TX is about 16% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Palestine, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Palestine, TX by 87%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.79 $17.79

$20.71 $20.71

-14.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 $52.0

$89.2 $89.2

-41.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 $8.79

$13.19 $13.19

-33.36%

Cappuccino

$2.04 $2.04

$5.66 $5.66

-63.96%

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

$1.52 $1.52

$2.64 $2.64

-42.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.28 $2.28

-55.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 $4.09

$6.87 $6.87

-40.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 $5.12

$8.84 $8.84

-42.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.25 $1.25

-39.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.72 $3.72

2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$5.39 $5.39

-61.97%

Eggs

$1.66 $1.66

$4.74 $4.74

-64.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 $7.93

$13.84 $13.84

-42.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$14.40 $14.40

-50.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 $12.75

$18.38 $18.38

-30.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$5.22 $5.22

-46.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.98 $1.98

-34.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.06 $4.06

-32.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$4.97 $4.97

-9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.67 $2.67

-1.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.66 $2.66

-7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.24 $2.24

-24.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.13 $3.13

-24.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$13.82 $13.82

-26.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.30 $18.30

$14.88 $14.88

22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.54 $2.54

-17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.51 $3.51

-3.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.43 $2.43

-15.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 $55.0

$73.5 $73.5

-25.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.18 $3.18

-6.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.39 $1.39

22.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.57 $23.57

$25.03 $25.03

-5.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.20 $1.20

-22.50%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

1.46%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.97%

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

$212 $212

$194 $194

9.20%

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

$92.0 $92.0

$69.5 $69.5

32.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.4 $83.4

$61.6 $61.6

35.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.39 $37.39

$47.90 $47.90

-21.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.12 $15.12

$17.81 $17.81

-15.10%

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

$1,925 $1,925

$1,794 $1,794

7.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-11.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 $60.7

$67.0 $67.0

-9.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.36 $49.36

$52.1 $52.1

-5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 $124

$102 $102

22.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$144 $144

-8.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 $876

$2,526 $2,526

-65.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 $1,301

$1,578 $1,578

-17.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,423 $1,423

$4,738 $4,738

-69.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 $2,075

$2,693 $2,693

-22.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,844 $2,844

$4,190 $4,190

-32.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,286 $2,286

$2,768 $2,768

-17.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Palestine, 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

Palestine, TX

$1.3K 51.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 21.3% $277

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Palestine, TX

$388 15.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 16% $62

Groceries & Markets

Palestine, TX

$315 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 42% $132

Eating Out

Palestine, TX

$234 9.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 47.5% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Palestine, TX

$165 6.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 0.3% $0.6

Getting Around

Palestine, TX

$75 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 25.1% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Palestine, TX

$68 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 23.5% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $876 in Palestine, 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 $52 in Palestine, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 vs $447 – making Palestine, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Palestine, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:02 11:02 PM

Same time as Palestine, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,712

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Palestine, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,544 in Palestine, TX, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Palestine, TX comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,816 per month in Palestine, 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 Palestine, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $876 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Palestine, TX and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,544 in Palestine, TX and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,544 in Palestine, TX to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Palestine, TX is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 16% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.