Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Texarkana, AR and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Texarkana, AR: $2,727 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

123

Cost of Living Index in Texarkana, AR
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Texarkana, AR Living Index
146

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

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Texarkana, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,727

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,727 per month in Texarkana, AR vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Texarkana, AR $2,727
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,564 per month in Texarkana, AR vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Texarkana, AR $3,564
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,401 per month in Texarkana, AR vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Texarkana, AR $4,401
Chicago, IL $6,019

Texarkana, AR is about 11% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Texarkana, AR and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Texarkana, AR by 102%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.52 $14.52

$20.39 $20.39

-28.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.79 $45.79

$88.6 $88.6

-48.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 $11.16

$12.85 $12.85

-13.15%

Cappuccino

$4.73 $4.73

$5.78 $5.78

-18.17%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.74 $2.74

-4.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.26 $2.26

-26.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$6.88 $6.88

-26.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$9.24 $9.24

-44.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.26 $1.26

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.55 $3.55

-21.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$5.38 $5.38

-29.00%

Eggs

$4.37 $4.37

$4.55 $4.55

-3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$13.65 $13.65

-19.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.57 $15.57

$14.07 $14.07

10.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.21 $24.21

$18.06 $18.06

34.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$5.16 $5.16

-14.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.98 $1.98

-14.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.88 $3.88

10.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.83 $4.83

-42.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.81 $2.81

-21.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.67 $2.67

-35.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.07 $2.07

-1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.03 $3.03

-34.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 $9.72

$13.90 $13.90

-30.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 $10.46

$15.05 $15.05

-30.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.63 $2.63

-33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.45 $3.45

-1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.43 $2.43

-11.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 $55.6

$75.3 $75.3

-26.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.17 $3.17

-6.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.70 $1.70

7.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.39 $28.39

$24.90 $24.90

14.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.28 $1.28

-27.34%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$35.8K $35.8K

-21.71%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

-7.09%

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

$298 $298

$192 $192

55.38%

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

$49.64 $49.64

$69.6 $69.6

-28.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.6 $66.6

$62.2 $62.2

7.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 $35.37

$47.79 $47.79

-25.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$6.82 $6.82

$17.83 $17.83

-61.75%

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

$1,460 $1,460

$1,815 $1,815

-19.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K $19.2K

$40.6K $40.6K

-52.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.60 $22.60

$66.2 $66.2

-65.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.30 $25.30

$51.4 $51.4

-50.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 $65.6

$103 $103

-36.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 $98.4

$143 $143

-31.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 $1,397

$2,531 $2,531

-44.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 $1,439

$1,621 $1,621

-11.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,460 $2,460

$4,828 $4,828

-49.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 $1,804

$2,734 $2,734

-34.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 $2,508

$4,163 $4,163

-39.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,677 $2,677

$2,723 $2,723

-1.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.78

-2.36%

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

Last update for Texarkana, AR: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Texarkana, AR

$1.4K 52.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 12.7% $183

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Texarkana, AR

$415 15.2%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 21.9% $91

Groceries & Markets

Texarkana, AR

$394 14.4%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 11.5% $45

Eating Out

Texarkana, AR

$259 9.5%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 32.8% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Texarkana, AR

$95 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 71.6% $68

Getting Around

Texarkana, AR

$76 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 26.7% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Texarkana, AR

$49 1.8%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 70.3% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,397 in Texarkana, AR 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Texarkana, AR versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $439 – making Texarkana, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Texarkana, AR

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:51 2:51 AM

Same time as Texarkana, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,193

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Texarkana, AR Chicago, IL 1,090 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Texarkana, AR
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

Texarkana, AR vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,727 in Texarkana, AR, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Texarkana, AR comes out roughly 11% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,090 per month in Texarkana, AR 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 Texarkana, AR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,397 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Texarkana, AR 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 $2,727 in Texarkana, AR 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 Texarkana, AR – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Texarkana, AR is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 11% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.