Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Spring, TX: $2,456 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

117

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

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

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Spring, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,456

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,456 per month in Spring, TX vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Spring, TX $2,456
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,408 per month in Spring, TX vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Spring, TX $3,408
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,361 per month in Spring, TX vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Spring, TX $4,361
Chicago, IL $5,999

Spring, TX is about 19% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Spring, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Spring, TX by 80%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.42 $16.42

$20.71 $20.71

-20.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 $50.5

$89.2 $89.2

-43.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 $10.94

$13.19 $13.19

-17.06%

Cappuccino

$4.65 $4.65

$5.66 $5.66

-17.84%

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

$1.54 $1.54

$2.64 $2.64

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.28 $2.28

-36.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.16 $5.16

$6.87 $6.87

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$8.84 $8.84

-30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.25 $1.25

-6.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 $2.40

$3.72 $3.72

-35.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.39 $5.39

-18.92%

Eggs

$2.79 $2.79

$4.74 $4.74

-41.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 $11.18

$13.84 $13.84

-19.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 $10.10

$14.40 $14.40

-29.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 $10.46

$18.38 $18.38

-43.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.22 $5.22

-28.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.98 $1.98

-20.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$4.06 $4.06

-12.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.97 $4.97

-36.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.67 $2.67

-5.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.66 $2.66

12.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.24 $2.24

-44.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.13 $3.13

-34.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.06 $10.06

$13.82 $13.82

-27.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$14.88 $14.88

0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.54 $2.54

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.51 $3.51

-8.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.43 $2.43

-49.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 $90.9

$73.5 $73.5

23.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.18 $3.18

12.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.39 $1.39

25.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.58 $23.58

$25.03 $25.03

-5.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.20 $1.20

-35.00%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.69%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.91%

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

$179 $179

$194 $194

-8.09%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$69.5 $69.5

-14.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 $53.6

$61.6 $61.6

-13.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.32 $25.32

$47.90 $47.90

-47.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$10.86 $10.86

$17.81 $17.81

-39.02%

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

$962 $962

$1,794 $1,794

-46.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K $18.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

-41.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$67.0 $67.0

-23.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 $39.83

$52.1 $52.1

-23.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 $75.7

$102 $102

-25.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$144 $144

-14.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 $1,651

$2,526 $2,526

-34.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 $1,281

$1,578 $1,578

-18.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 $2,294

$4,738 $4,738

-51.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 $1,870

$2,693 $2,693

-30.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,557 $1,557

$4,190 $4,190

-62.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 $1,223

$2,768 $2,768

-55.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,811 $3,811

$4,931 $4,931

-22.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.81

-5.43%

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

Last update for Spring, TX: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Spring, TX

$1.3K 52.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23.2% $297

Groceries & Markets

Spring, TX

$328 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 36.3% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Spring, TX

$291 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 11.8% $34

Eating Out

Spring, TX

$270 11%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 27.7% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Spring, TX

$130 5.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 26% $34

Getting Around

Spring, TX

$108 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 13.7% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Spring, TX

$47 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 77.6% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,651 in Spring, 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.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Spring, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $447 – making Spring, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Spring, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:19 4:19 PM

Same time as Spring, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

54,298

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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Highest

Between locations

Spring, TX Chicago, IL 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Spring, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,456 in Spring, TX, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Spring, TX comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,684 per month in Spring, 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 Spring, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,651 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Spring, 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 $2,456 in Spring, 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 Spring, 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 Spring, 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.