Cost of Living Comparison Between Houston, TX and Chicago, IL 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Chicago, IL is 23.0% higher than in Houston, TX (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Chicago, IL is 30.3% higher than in Houston, TX | |
| Rent Prices in Chicago, IL are 43.5% higher than in Houston, TX | |
| Restaurant Prices in Chicago, IL are 30.7% higher than in Houston, TX | |
| Groceries Prices in Chicago, IL are 34.8% higher than in Houston, TX | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Chicago, IL is 22.2% lower than in Houston, TX | |
Restaurants | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 18.00 $ | 25.00 $ | +38.9 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 77.50 $ | 100.00 $ | +29.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 9.00 $ | 12.00 $ | +33.3 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 5.00 $ | 8.00 $ | +60.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 6.50 $ | 8.00 $ | +23.1 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.17 $ | 5.20 $ | +0.5 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.49 $ | 2.99 $ | +20.2 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 1.89 $ | 2.42 $ | +27.8 % |
Markets | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 3.60 $ | 4.06 $ | +12.8 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 2.80 $ | 3.81 $ | +36.0 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.48 $ | 2.85 $ | +92.5 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 3.77 $ | 4.07 $ | +8.0 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.85 $ | 7.52 $ | +28.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 5.08 $ | 6.78 $ | +33.3 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 7.31 $ | 9.46 $ | +29.5 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.06 $ | 2.70 $ | +30.7 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.58 $ | 0.89 $ | +54.9 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.59 $ | 2.10 $ | +32.4 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 1.28 $ | 2.24 $ | +75.3 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.23 $ | 1.19 $ | -2.9 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.05 $ | 1.35 $ | +28.3 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.72 $ | 2.25 $ | +30.5 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.29 $ | 2.62 $ | +14.5 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 15.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.86 $ | 2.43 $ | +30.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 3.34 $ | 4.31 $ | +29.1 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 8.75 $ | 16.00 $ | +82.9 % |
Transportation | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.25 $ | 2.50 $ | +100.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 75.00 $ | 80.00 $ | +6.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 4.25 $ | 3.25 $ | -23.5 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 3.00 $ | 2.25 $ | -25.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 30.00 $ | 25.00 $ | -16.7 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.11 $ | 4.22 $ | +36.0 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 36,278.39 $ | 37,383.69 $ | +3.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 26,263.69 $ | 27,211.87 $ | +3.6 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 193.30 $ | 160.77 $ | -16.8 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 58.95 $ | 55.33 $ | -6.1 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 69.26 $ | 57.48 $ | -17.0 % |
Sports And Leisure | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 38.92 $ | 76.63 $ | +96.9 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 15.83 $ | 13.00 $ | -17.9 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 15.00 $ | 15.00 $ | 0.0 % |
Childcare | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,244.14 $ | 2,308.33 $ | +85.5 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 25,333.33 $ | 45,450.00 $ | +79.4 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 49.00 $ | 60.46 $ | +23.4 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 43.40 $ | 53.75 $ | +23.8 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 101.64 $ | 97.19 $ | -4.4 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 134.56 $ | 130.31 $ | -3.2 % |
Rent Per Month | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 1,561.14 $ | 2,432.29 $ | +55.8 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,184.67 $ | 1,517.89 $ | +28.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 3,225.78 $ | 4,604.17 $ | +42.7 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,075.22 $ | 2,991.30 $ | +44.1 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 254.18 $ | 330.00 $ | +29.8 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 173.01 $ | 258.01 $ | +49.1 % |
Salaries And Financing | Houston, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 4,919.64 $ | 4,988.20 $ | +1.4 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.55 | 6.64 | +1.3 % |
| Last update: | May 2024 | May 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 213 | 228 |
Moving to Houston, TX? Explore:
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Cities near Houston, TX: | Cost of Living in College Station, Texas | 94.28 miles |
| Cost of Living in Austin, Texas | 161.51 miles |
| Cost of Living in Waco, Texas | 184.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Antonio, Texas | 193.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in Longview, Texas | 213.57 miles |
| Cost of Living in Corpus Christi, Texas | 216.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in Dallas, Texas | 245.09 miles |
| Cost of Living in Shreveport, Louisiana | 245.18 miles |
Cities near Chicago, IL: | Cost of Living in Oak Park, Illinois | 9.14 miles |
| Cost of Living in Evanston, Illinois | 14.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Grange Park, Illinois | 15.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Franklin Park, Illinois | 16.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Des Plaines, Illinois | 20.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Chicago, Indiana | 23.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheaton, Illinois | 25.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolingbrook, Illinois | 29.21 miles |
| Cost of Living in Naperville, Illinois | 30.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Schaumburg, Illinois | 30.60 miles |