Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Chicago, IL 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Chicago, IL is 21.2% higher than in Austin, TX (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Chicago, IL is 14.4% higher than in Austin, TX | |
| Rent Prices in Chicago, IL are 4.5% higher than in Austin, TX | |
| Restaurant Prices in Chicago, IL are 25.8% higher than in Austin, TX | |
| Groceries Prices in Chicago, IL are 31.7% higher than in Austin, TX | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Chicago, IL is 21.4% lower than in Austin, TX | |
Restaurants | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 16.99 $ | 25.00 $ | +47.1 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 80.00 $ | 100.00 $ | +25.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 10.00 $ | 12.00 $ | +20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 6.00 $ | 8.00 $ | +33.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 7.25 $ | 9.00 $ | +24.1 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.33 $ | 5.22 $ | -2.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.63 $ | 3.04 $ | +15.4 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.16 $ | 2.41 $ | +11.8 % |
Markets | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 3.94 $ | 4.01 $ | +1.8 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.15 $ | 3.76 $ | +19.5 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.32 $ | 2.72 $ | +106.8 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 3.28 $ | 3.91 $ | +19.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.69 $ | 7.22 $ | +26.9 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 4.93 $ | 6.55 $ | +32.9 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 6.35 $ | 9.25 $ | +45.7 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.34 $ | 2.58 $ | +10.2 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.69 $ | 0.89 $ | +28.8 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.93 $ | 2.18 $ | +13.0 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 1.62 $ | 2.25 $ | +39.0 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.29 $ | 1.21 $ | -6.5 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.29 $ | 1.35 $ | +5.4 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.89 $ | 2.39 $ | +26.9 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1.97 $ | 2.88 $ | +46.3 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 14.84 $ | 15.00 $ | +1.1 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.11 $ | 2.70 $ | +27.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 3.33 $ | 3.83 $ | +15.1 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 9.00 $ | 16.94 $ | +88.2 % |
Transportation | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.75 $ | 2.50 $ | +42.9 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 45.00 $ | 75.00 $ | +66.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.50 $ | 3.25 $ | -7.1 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.75 $ | 2.25 $ | -18.2 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 35.00 $ | 25.00 $ | -28.6 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.05 $ | 4.23 $ | +38.4 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 35,000.00 $ | 34,000.00 $ | -2.9 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 26,086.60 $ | 26,998.12 $ | +3.5 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 164.57 $ | 165.77 $ | +0.7 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 60.29 $ | 55.61 $ | -7.8 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 68.01 $ | 58.04 $ | -14.7 % |
Sports And Leisure | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 53.06 $ | 74.65 $ | +40.7 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 13.00 $ | 19.57 $ | +50.5 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 14.00 $ | 15.00 $ | +7.1 % |
Childcare | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,458.50 $ | 2,475.00 $ | +69.7 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 21,625.00 $ | 42,300.00 $ | +95.6 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 62.47 $ | 65.42 $ | +4.7 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 54.09 $ | 51.79 $ | -4.3 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 90.73 $ | 95.84 $ | +5.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 134.57 $ | 142.67 $ | +6.0 % |
Rent Per Month | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,225.52 $ | 2,394.70 $ | +7.6 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,496.97 $ | 1,499.37 $ | +0.2 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,576.59 $ | 4,595.83 $ | +0.4 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,648.00 $ | 2,948.00 $ | +11.3 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 455.14 $ | 330.00 $ | -27.5 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 260.44 $ | 272.50 $ | +4.6 % |
Salaries And Financing | Austin, TX Edit |
Chicago, IL Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,501.89 $ | 4,947.20 $ | -10.1 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.65 | 6.65 | +0.0 % |
| Last update: | September 2024 | September 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 194 | 252 |
Moving to Austin, TX? Explore:
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Cities near Austin, TX: | Cost of Living in San Antonio, Texas | 79.89 miles |
| Cost of Living in Waco, Texas | 101.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kerrville, Texas | 102.67 miles |
| Cost of Living in College Station, Texas | 106.60 miles |
| Cost of Living in Houston, Texas | 163.29 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fort Worth, Texas | 187.07 miles |
| Cost of Living in Dallas, Texas | 198.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Angelo, Texas | 205.75 miles |
| Cost of Living in Garland, Texas | 214.18 miles |
| Cost of Living in Plano, Texas | 214.48 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 |