Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tyler, TX: $2,431 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

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

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

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Tyler, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,431

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,431 per month in Tyler, TX vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tyler, TX $2,431
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,503 per month in Tyler, TX vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tyler, TX $3,503
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,574 per month in Tyler, TX vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tyler, TX $4,574
Chicago, IL $5,999

Tyler, TX is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tyler, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Tyler, TX by 79%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 $14.84

$20.71 $20.71

-28.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 $60.7

$89.2 $89.2

-31.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 $9.56

$13.19 $13.19

-27.52%

Cappuccino

$3.97 $3.97

$5.66 $5.66

-29.86%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$2.64 $2.64

-19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.28 $2.28

17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 $4.51

$6.87 $6.87

-34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$8.84 $8.84

-22.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.25 $1.25

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.72 $3.72

11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$5.39 $5.39

-58.26%

Eggs

$3.91 $3.91

$4.74 $4.74

-17.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$13.84 $13.84

5.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.47 $11.47

$14.40 $14.40

-20.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.39 $12.39

$18.38 $18.38

-32.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$5.22 $5.22

17.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.98 $1.98

0.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$4.06 $4.06

17.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$4.97 $4.97

-6.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.67 $2.67

17.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.66 $2.66

12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.24 $2.24

-18.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.13 $3.13

-17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.91 $9.91

$13.82 $13.82

-28.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$14.88 $14.88

-1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.54 $2.54

-4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 $5.41

$3.51 $3.51

54.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.43 $2.43

-58.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.66 $39.66

$73.5 $73.5

-46.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.18 $3.18

22.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.39 $1.39

128.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.20 $1.20

-28.33%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

3.94%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

14.44%

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

$287 $287

$194 $194

47.82%

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

$69.9 $69.9

$69.5 $69.5

0.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.9 $77.9

$61.6 $61.6

26.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.01 $30.01

$47.90 $47.90

-37.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.55 $3.55

$27.34 $27.34

-87.02%

Cinema Ticket

$11.88 $11.88

$17.81 $17.81

-33.30%

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

$647 $647

$1,794 $1,794

-63.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,945 $9,945

$31.9K $31.9K

-68.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$67.0 $67.0

-19.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.9 $68.9

$52.1 $52.1

32.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 $95.1

$102 $102

-6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$194 $194

$144 $144

35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 $1,157

$2,526 $2,526

-54.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 $1,038

$1,578 $1,578

-34.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,874 $1,874

$4,738 $4,738

-60.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 $1,685

$2,693 $2,693

-37.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,173 $2,173

$4,190 $4,190

-48.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,841 $1,841

$2,768 $2,768

-33.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,286 $3,286

$4,931 $4,931

-33.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.81

-10.43%

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

Last update for Tyler, TX: 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

Tyler, TX

$1K 42.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 52.1% $541

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tyler, TX

$435 17.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 25.2% $110

Groceries & Markets

Tyler, TX

$405 16.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.4% $42

Eating Out

Tyler, TX

$251 10.3%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 37.7% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Tyler, TX

$185 7.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 11.5% $21

Getting Around

Tyler, TX

$64 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 47% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Tyler, TX

$54 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 55.3% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,157 in Tyler, 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 50% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Tyler, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $405 vs $447 – making Tyler, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tyler, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:34 4:34 PM

Same time as Tyler, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,700

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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Between locations

Tyler, TX Chicago, IL 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Tyler, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,431 in Tyler, TX, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Tyler, TX comes out roughly 20% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,647 per month in Tyler, 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 Tyler, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,157 there versus $2,526 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 $61 in Tyler, 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 $2,431 in Tyler, 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 Tyler, 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 Tyler, 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.