Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Roma, TX: $2,589 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Roma, TX
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Roma, TX Living Index
146

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

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Roma, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,589

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,589 per month in Roma, TX vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Roma, TX $2,589
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Roma, TX vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Roma, TX $3,801
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $5,012 per month in Roma, TX vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Roma, TX $5,012
Chicago, IL $6,019

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

Both Roma, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Roma, TX by 92%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 $20.25

$20.39 $20.39

-0.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 $74.6

$88.6 $88.6

-15.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.33 $11.33

$12.85 $12.85

-11.83%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$5.78 $5.78

-9.52%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$2.74 $2.74

0.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.26 $2.26

-9.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$6.88 $6.88

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$9.24 $9.24

-22.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.26 $1.26

-19.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.55 $3.55

-0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$5.38 $5.38

-20.82%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$4.55 $4.55

-9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 $12.56

$13.65 $13.65

-7.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.68 $11.68

$14.07 $14.07

-16.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.01 $17.01

$18.06 $18.06

-5.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$5.16 $5.16

0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.98 $1.98

-20.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$3.88 $3.88

8.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$4.83 $4.83

-2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.81 $2.81

-0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.67 $2.67

7.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.07 $2.07

5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$3.03 $3.03

-23.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 $10.18

$13.90 $13.90

-26.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$15.05 $15.05

-1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.63 $2.63

-27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.45 $3.45

-2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.43 $2.43

-18.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 $59.9

$75.3 $75.3

-20.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 $3.36

$3.17 $3.17

5.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.70 $1.70

4.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.25 $26.25

$24.90 $24.90

5.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.28 $1.28

-20.31%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.8K $35.8K

-22.55%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.04%

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

$202 $202

$192 $192

5.08%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$69.6 $69.6

-14.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$62.2 $62.2

12.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 $39.95

$47.79 $47.79

-16.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.94 $19.94

$27.10 $27.10

-26.42%

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 $13.58

$17.83 $17.83

-23.84%

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

$1,371 $1,371

$1,815 $1,815

-24.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$40.6K $40.6K

-47.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 $54.0

$66.2 $66.2

-18.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.21 $41.21

$51.4 $51.4

-19.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$103 $103

-15.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$143 $143

-19.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 $1,556

$2,531 $2,531

-38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 $1,256

$1,621 $1,621

-22.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,599 $2,599

$4,828 $4,828

-46.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,067 $2,067

$2,734 $2,734

-24.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 $2,866

$4,163 $4,163

-31.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 $2,372

$2,723 $2,723

-12.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,335 $1,335

$4,924 $4,924

-72.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.78

-2.80%

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

Last update for Roma, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Roma, TX

$1.3K 48.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 29.1% $365

Groceries & Markets

Roma, TX

$399 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 10.1% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Roma, TX

$331 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 2.3% $7.7

Eating Out

Roma, TX

$322 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 6.8% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Roma, TX

$134 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 22.3% $30

Getting Around

Roma, TX

$80 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 20.9% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Roma, TX

$67 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 24.3% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,556 in Roma, 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 in Chicago, IL are about 3.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Roma, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $439 – making Roma, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Roma, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:55 12:55 PM

Same time as Roma, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,561

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Roma, TX Chicago, IL 2,010 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Roma, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,589 in Roma, TX, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Roma, TX comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,884 per month in Roma, 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 Roma, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,556 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Roma, 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 $2,589 in Roma, TX and $3,072 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Roma, 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 Roma, 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.