Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Arthur, TX and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Arthur, TX: $2,634 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Port Arthur, TX
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Port Arthur, TX Living Index
147

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

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Port Arthur, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,634

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,634 per month in Port Arthur, TX vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Port Arthur, TX $2,634
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,860 per month in Port Arthur, TX vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Port Arthur, TX $3,860
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,086 per month in Port Arthur, TX vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Port Arthur, TX $5,086
Chicago, IL $5,999

Port Arthur, TX is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Port Arthur, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Port Arthur, TX by 94%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 $18.63

$20.71 $20.71

-10.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 $74.1

$89.2 $89.2

-16.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 $11.20

$13.19 $13.19

-15.09%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$5.66 $5.66

-12.37%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.64 $2.64

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.28 $2.28

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$6.87 $6.87

-10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$8.84 $8.84

-21.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.25 $1.25

-16.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.72 $3.72

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$5.39 $5.39

-19.85%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$4.74 $4.74

-14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$13.84 $13.84

-10.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.57 $11.57

$14.40 $14.40

-19.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.59 $15.59

$18.38 $18.38

-15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$5.22 $5.22

-6.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$4.06 $4.06

4.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$4.97 $4.97

-5.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.67 $2.67

8.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.66 $2.66

9.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.24 $2.24

-5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$3.13 $3.13

-30.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.43 $9.43

$13.82 $13.82

-31.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 $13.75

$14.88 $14.88

-7.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.54 $2.54

-30.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.51 $3.51

-6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.43 $2.43

-16.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.3 $66.3

$73.5 $73.5

-9.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.18 $3.18

10.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.39 $1.39

15.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.41 $29.41

$25.03 $25.03

17.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.20 $1.20

-29.17%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-14.22%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.57%

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

$190 $190

$194 $194

-2.03%

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

$53.1 $53.1

$69.5 $69.5

-23.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$61.6 $61.6

7.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.60 $43.60

$47.90 $47.90

-8.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 $13.73

$17.81 $17.81

-22.91%

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

$1,279 $1,279

$1,794 $1,794

-28.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-26.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 $50.2

$67.0 $67.0

-25.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.34 $39.34

$52.1 $52.1

-24.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$102 $102

-14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$144 $144

-21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 $1,625

$2,526 $2,526

-35.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$1,578 $1,578

-14.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$4,738 $4,738

-45.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,244 $2,244

$2,693 $2,693

-16.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,790 $2,790

$4,190 $4,190

-33.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,405 $2,405

$2,768 $2,768

-13.11%

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 Port Arthur, 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

Port Arthur, TX

$1.3K 51.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 17.3% $232

Groceries & Markets

Port Arthur, TX

$387 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 15.7% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Port Arthur, TX

$310 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.1% $16

Eating Out

Port Arthur, TX

$305 11.6%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 13.2% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Port Arthur, TX

$130 5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 25.9% $34

Getting Around

Port Arthur, TX

$86 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 8.7% $7.5

Sport & Entertainment

Port Arthur, TX

$71 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 17.5% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,625 in Port Arthur, 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 $74 in Port Arthur, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $447 – making Port Arthur, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Port Arthur, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:07 11:07 AM

Same time as Port Arthur, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

54,135

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Port Arthur, TX Chicago, IL 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Port Arthur, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,634 in Port Arthur, TX, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,951 per month in Port Arthur, 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 Port Arthur, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,625 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Port Arthur, TX and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,634 in Port Arthur, 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 Port Arthur, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Port Arthur, TX is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 15% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.