Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Waco, TX: $2,447 a month against $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index
153

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

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Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,447

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,169

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,447 per month in Waco, TX vs $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waco, TX $2,447
Chicago, IL $3,169

A couple spends around $3,090 per month in Waco, TX vs $4,682 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waco, TX $3,090
Chicago, IL $4,682

A family of three spends $3,734 per month in Waco, TX vs $6,196 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waco, TX $3,734
Chicago, IL $6,196

Waco, TX is about 23% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Waco, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Waco, TX by 83%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 $15.21

$21.62 $21.62

-29.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$91.2 $91.2

-35.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$13.09 $13.09

-6.95%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$5.78 $5.78

-6.75%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$2.64 $2.64

-32.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.28 $2.28

-34.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$6.94 $6.94

-28.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 $5.52

$8.93 $8.93

-38.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.27 $1.27

-40.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.94 $3.94

-19.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$4.96 $4.96

-59.07%

Eggs

$2.78 $2.78

$4.64 $4.64

-40.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 $12.06

$13.97 $13.97

-13.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$14.37 $14.37

-32.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 $11.67

$18.59 $18.59

-37.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$5.37 $5.37

-28.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.93 $1.93

-41.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.01 $4.01

-3.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$4.94 $4.94

-24.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.80 $2.80

-18.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.76 $2.76

3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.16 $2.16

-18.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$3.12 $3.12

-68.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.54 $8.54

$15.71 $15.71

-45.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.49 $13.49

$15.23 $15.23

-11.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.57 $2.57

-34.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.48 $3.48

9.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.48 $2.48

-37.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.12 $40.12

$74.4 $74.4

-46.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 $9.93

$3.23 $3.23

207.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.43 $1.43

32.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.4 $59.4

$24.33 $24.33

144.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.25 $1.25

-28.80%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$35.9K $35.9K

0.96%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

-3.73%

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

$175 $175

$195 $195

-9.83%

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

$40.53 $40.53

$69.0 $69.0

-41.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 $54.7

$62.1 $62.1

-11.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.96 $27.96

$54.5 $54.5

-48.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.80 $27.80

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 $9.07

$17.84 $17.84

-49.16%

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

$747 $747

$1,513 $1,513

-50.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

-41.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.91 $47.91

$68.1 $68.1

-29.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.27 $38.27

$51.6 $51.6

-25.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$101 $101

-15.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 $95.4

$141 $141

-32.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 $1,244

$2,437 $2,437

-48.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$1,662 $1,662

-20.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,541 $1,541

$4,644 $4,644

-66.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$2,751 $2,751

-50.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,970 $1,970

$4,036 $4,036

-51.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,955 $1,955

$2,677 $2,677

-26.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,156 $3,156

$4,861 $4,861

-35.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.77

-4.14%

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

Last update for Waco, TX: October 6, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waco, TX

$1.3K 55%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53% 25.2% $334

Groceries & Markets

Waco, TX

$312 12.9%

Chicago, IL

$450 14.3% 43.9% $137

Eating Out

Waco, TX

$272 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$354 11.3% 30.2% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waco, TX

$271 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.4% 20.3% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Waco, TX

$120 5%

Chicago, IL

$163 5.2% 35.8% $43

Getting Around

Waco, TX

$66 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 44.1% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Waco, TX

$46 1.9%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 95.6% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,244 in Waco, TX versus $2,437 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 54% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Waco, TX versus $91.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $450 – making Waco, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:38 10:38 AM

Same time as Waco, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

138,486

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Waco, TX Chicago, IL 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Waco, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,447 in Waco, TX, $3,169 in Chicago, IL – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,670 per month in Waco, TX and $4,753 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waco, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Waco, TX and $91.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Waco, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,447, than in Chicago, IL at $3,169. In Waco, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,447 in Waco, TX to $3,169 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Waco, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.