Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wichita Falls, TX and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Wichita Falls, TX: $1,797 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

87

Cost of Living Index in Wichita Falls, TX
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Wichita Falls, TX Living Index
147

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

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Wichita Falls, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$1,797

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,797 per month in Wichita Falls, TX vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wichita Falls, TX $1,797
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,731 per month in Wichita Falls, TX vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wichita Falls, TX $2,731
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,665 per month in Wichita Falls, TX vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Wichita Falls, TX $3,665
Chicago, IL $5,999

Wichita Falls, TX is about 41% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Wichita Falls, TX and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Wichita Falls, TX by 32%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.80 $14.80

$20.71 $20.71

-28.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 $59.5

$89.2 $89.2

-33.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 $11.18

$13.19 $13.19

-15.24%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$5.66 $5.66

-0.71%

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

$3.19 $3.19

$2.64 $2.64

20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.28 $2.28

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.87 $6.87

-26.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$8.84 $8.84

-7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.25 $1.25

-22.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.72 $3.72

-19.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$5.39 $5.39

-26.53%

Eggs

$4.21 $4.21

$4.74 $4.74

-11.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$13.84 $13.84

-6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.73 $8.73

$14.40 $14.40

-39.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 $10.85

$18.38 $18.38

-40.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$5.22 $5.22

-13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.98 $1.98

-34.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$4.06 $4.06

-23.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$4.97 $4.97

-56.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.67 $2.67

-16.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.66 $2.66

13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.24 $2.24

-27.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.13 $3.13

-11.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.55 $8.55

$13.82 $13.82

-38.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 $8.98

$14.88 $14.88

-39.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.54 $2.54

-57.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$3.51 $3.51

-56.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.43 $2.43

-36.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.78 $44.78

$73.5 $73.5

-39.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 $1.28

$3.18 $3.18

-59.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.39 $1.39

-37.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.20 $1.20

-33.33%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-25.97%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-6.52%

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

$248 $248

$194 $194

27.39%

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

$50.5 $50.5

$69.5 $69.5

-27.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 $62.3

$61.6 $61.6

1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.83 $14.83

$47.90 $47.90

-69.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.67 $19.67

$27.34 $27.34

-28.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 $8.78

$17.81 $17.81

-50.70%

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

$2,651 $2,651

$1,794 $1,794

47.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$67.0 $67.0

-24.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.38 $41.38

$52.1 $52.1

-20.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 $64.6

$102 $102

-36.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 $98.2

$144 $144

-31.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 $1,048

$2,526 $2,526

-58.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 $630

$1,578 $1,578

-60.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$4,738 $4,738

-70.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 $1,201

$2,693 $2,693

-55.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,466 $1,466

$4,190 $4,190

-65.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,411 $1,411

$2,768 $2,768

-49.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,913 $3,913

$4,931 $4,931

-20.64%

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 Wichita Falls, 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

Wichita Falls, TX

$630 35.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 151% $948

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wichita Falls, TX

$360 20.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.7% $35

Groceries & Markets

Wichita Falls, TX

$320 17.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 39.9% $128

Eating Out

Wichita Falls, TX

$284 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 21.6% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Wichita Falls, TX

$115 6.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 42.9% $49

Getting Around

Wichita Falls, TX

$57 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 65.1% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Wichita Falls, TX

$32 1.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 158% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,048 in Wichita Falls, 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 26% 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 in Wichita Falls, TX versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $447 – making Wichita Falls, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wichita Falls, TX

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:59 9:59 AM

Same time as Wichita Falls, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

102,316

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Wichita Falls, TX Chicago, IL 1,300 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Wichita Falls, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,797 in Wichita Falls, TX, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 69% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,696 per month in Wichita Falls, 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 Wichita Falls, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,048 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 in Wichita Falls, TX and $89 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 Wichita Falls, TX, where all-in costs run around $1,797, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Wichita Falls, 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 $1,797 in Wichita Falls, TX to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Wichita Falls, 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.