Cost of Living Comparison Between San Marcos, TX and Des Plaines, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between San Marcos, TX and Des Plaines, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,619 in San Marcos, TX versus $2,581 in Des Plaines, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,871 in San Marcos, TX versus $3,855 in Des Plaines, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,123 in San Marcos, TX versus $5,129 in Des Plaines, IL.

Living in San Marcos, TX is roughly 1% more expensive than Des Plaines, IL, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Marcos, TX 95% above, Des Plaines, IL 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.32 $19.32

$15.26 $15.26

26.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 $68.5

$79.3 $79.3

-13.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 $9.94

$10.88 $10.88

-8.64%

Cappuccino

$4.81 $4.81

$5.42 $5.42

-11.25%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.64 $2.64

5.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.34 $2.34

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.15 $6.15

$5.97 $5.97

3.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.98 $6.98

1.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.92 $0.92

1.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$4.06 $4.06

-26.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$5.31 $5.31

-35.40%

Eggs

$3.81 $3.81

$4.12 $4.12

-7.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 $9.95

$13.62 $13.62

-26.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 $12.30

$13.27 $13.27

-7.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.19 $17.19

$16.44 $16.44

4.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.49 $4.49

-6.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.70 $1.70

-27.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.32 $4.32

-10.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$4.47 $4.47

-41.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.55 $2.55

9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.71 $2.71

-12.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.04 $2.04

-12.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.96 $1.96

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 $8.10

$14.36 $14.36

-43.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 $13.75

$14.85 $14.85

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.31 $2.31

-15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.72 $3.72

2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.94 $1.94

5.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.40 $4.40

-11.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.43 $1.43

32.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.20 $30.20

$25.10 $25.10

20.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.09 $1.09

-33.03%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$25.0K $25.0K

31.44%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

2.56%

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

$189 $189

$182 $182

3.63%

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

$62.1 $62.1

$50.1 $50.1

24.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 $66.4

$66.1 $66.1

0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 $69.3

$43.79 $43.79

58.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.44 $39.44

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$14.70 $14.70

0.41%

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

$675 $675

$1,653 $1,653

-59.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K $18.9K

$24.7K $24.7K

-23.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.12 $47.12

$65.4 $65.4

-27.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 $44.39

$48.84 $48.84

-9.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 $96.7

$97.3 $97.3

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$134 $134

-9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 $1,325

$1,602 $1,602

-17.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 $1,397

$1,379 $1,379

1.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,056 $3,056

$2,631 $2,631

16.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,370 $2,370

$2,224 $2,224

6.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 $2,392

$3,192 $3,192

-25.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,880 $1,880

$2,480 $2,480

-24.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,086 $3,086

$6,104 $6,104

-49.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.6

-2.42%

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

Last update for San Marcos, TX: June 2, 2026

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in San Marcos, TX and $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 98% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in San Marcos, TX vs $79.0 in Des Plaines, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $410 per month, with San Marcos, TX cheaper across the board.

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

San Marcos, TX vs Des Plaines, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Marcos, TX and Des Plaines, IL differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,619 vs $2,581 including rent). Des Plaines, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Des Plaines, IL earns 98% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,325 in San Marcos, TX versus $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $675 in San Marcos, TX versus $1,653 in Des Plaines, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Des Plaines, IL – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $68.0 in San Marcos, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,581 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,619 in San Marcos, TX, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Des Plaines, IL but tight or insufficient in San Marcos, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Des Plaines, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Des Plaines, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in San Marcos, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.