Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tulsa, OK and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Tulsa, OK: $2,227 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

Cost of Living Index in Tulsa, OK
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Tulsa, OK Living Index
147

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

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Tulsa, OK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,227

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,227 per month in Tulsa, OK vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tulsa, OK $2,227
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,282 per month in Tulsa, OK vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tulsa, OK $3,282
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,337 per month in Tulsa, OK vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tulsa, OK $4,337
Chicago, IL $5,999

Tulsa, OK is about 27% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tulsa, OK and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Tulsa, OK by 64%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.73 $15.73

$20.71 $20.71

-24.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$89.2 $89.2

-17.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 $10.04

$13.19 $13.19

-23.88%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$5.66 $5.66

-10.60%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$2.64 $2.64

-14.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.28 $2.28

-24.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.87 $6.87

-26.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$8.84 $8.84

-20.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.25 $1.25

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.72 $3.72

-3.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$5.39 $5.39

2.97%

Eggs

$4.04 $4.04

$4.74 $4.74

-14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$13.84 $13.84

10.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.21 $12.21

$14.40 $14.40

-15.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 $15.24

$18.38 $18.38

-17.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.22 $5.22

-15.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.98 $1.98

-15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.06 $4.06

-8.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$4.97 $4.97

-28.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.67 $2.67

-3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.66 $2.66

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.24 $2.24

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.13 $3.13

-29.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$13.82 $13.82

-26.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 $13.35

$14.88 $14.88

-10.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.54 $2.54

-21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$3.51 $3.51

37.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.43 $2.43

-26.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.22 $44.22

$73.5 $73.5

-39.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.18 $3.18

-38.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.39 $1.39

-10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.62 $29.62

$25.03 $25.03

18.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.20 $1.20

-24.17%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-24.09%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.08%

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

$247 $247

$194 $194

27.29%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$69.5 $69.5

-0.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.0 $64.0

$61.6 $61.6

3.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.26 $43.26

$47.90 $47.90

-9.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.35 $20.35

$27.34 $27.34

-25.57%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 $13.74

$17.81 $17.81

-22.85%

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

$1,194 $1,194

$1,794 $1,794

-33.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-20.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 $73.6

$67.0 $67.0

9.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 $61.1

$52.1 $52.1

17.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$102 $102

19.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$144 $144

2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$2,526 $2,526

-49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 $866

$1,578 $1,578

-45.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,500 $2,500

$4,738 $4,738

-47.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 $1,380

$2,693 $2,693

-48.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,786 $1,786

$4,190 $4,190

-57.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,652 $1,652

$2,768 $2,768

-40.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,494 $3,494

$4,931 $4,931

-29.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for Tulsa, OK: 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

Tulsa, OK

$866 38.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 82.2% $712

Groceries & Markets

Tulsa, OK

$397 17.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 12.8% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tulsa, OK

$380 17.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 14.4% $55

Eating Out

Tulsa, OK

$272 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 26.7% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Tulsa, OK

$182 8.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 9.7% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Tulsa, OK

$71 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 18.1% $13

Getting Around

Tulsa, OK

$60 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 56.7% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,280 in Tulsa, OK 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 41% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Tulsa, OK versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $447 – making Tulsa, OK the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tulsa, OK

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:40 10:40 AM

Same time as Tulsa, OK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

413,066

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tulsa, OK Chicago, IL 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Tulsa, OK
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

Tulsa, OK vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,227 in Tulsa, OK, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Tulsa, OK comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,341 per month in Tulsa, OK 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 Tulsa, OK, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,280 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Tulsa, OK 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 $2,227 in Tulsa, OK and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,227 in Tulsa, OK to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Tulsa, OK. 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.