Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Houston, TX 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Consumer Prices in Houston, TX are 18.3% lower than in Chicago, IL (without rent) | |
| Consumer Prices Including Rent in Houston, TX are 22.3% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Rent Prices in Houston, TX are 28.6% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Restaurant Prices in Houston, TX are 21.9% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Groceries Prices in Houston, TX are 26.9% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Houston, TX is 24.6% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
Restaurants | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 25.00 $ | 18.00 $ | -28.0 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 100.00 $ | 80.00 $ | -20.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 12.00 $ | 9.62 $ | -19.8 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 8.00 $ | 5.00 $ | -37.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 8.00 $ | 7.00 $ | -12.5 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.19 $ | 5.22 $ | +0.6 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.99 $ | 2.46 $ | -17.7 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.39 $ | 1.88 $ | -21.2 % |
Markets | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.04 $ | 3.59 $ | -11.2 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.84 $ | 2.77 $ | -27.8 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.85 $ | 1.43 $ | -49.8 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 4.07 $ | 3.72 $ | -8.7 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 7.52 $ | 5.70 $ | -24.2 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.74 $ | 4.95 $ | -26.6 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 9.46 $ | 7.28 $ | -23.1 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.70 $ | 2.05 $ | -23.8 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.89 $ | 0.58 $ | -35.0 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.10 $ | 1.56 $ | -25.6 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.24 $ | 1.24 $ | -44.7 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.19 $ | 1.24 $ | +3.6 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.35 $ | 1.04 $ | -23.1 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.25 $ | 1.72 $ | -23.5 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.62 $ | 2.26 $ | -13.7 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 15.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.43 $ | 1.88 $ | -22.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 4.31 $ | 3.34 $ | -22.6 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 16.50 $ | 8.75 $ | -47.0 % |
Transportation | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.50 $ | 1.25 $ | -50.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 80.00 $ | 75.00 $ | -6.3 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.25 $ | 4.25 $ | +30.8 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.25 $ | 3.00 $ | +33.3 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 25.00 $ | 30.00 $ | +20.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 4.22 $ | 3.11 $ | -26.4 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 37,383.69 $ | 33,139.19 $ | -11.4 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 27,211.87 $ | 26,105.84 $ | -4.1 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 157.44 $ | 203.52 $ | +29.3 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 54.48 $ | 60.34 $ | +10.8 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 57.38 $ | 70.17 $ | +22.3 % |
Sports And Leisure | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 78.67 $ | 39.66 $ | -49.6 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 6.25 $ | 15.83 $ | +153.3 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 15.00 $ | 15.00 $ | 0.0 % |
Childcare | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,170.00 $ | 1,244.14 $ | -42.7 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 45,450.00 $ | 25,333.33 $ | -44.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 60.46 $ | 49.00 $ | -19.0 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 53.75 $ | 46.64 $ | -13.2 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 97.19 $ | 103.74 $ | +6.7 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 128.06 $ | 139.00 $ | +8.5 % |
Rent Per Month | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,446.74 $ | 1,583.86 $ | -35.3 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,507.04 $ | 1,213.24 $ | -19.5 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,608.70 $ | 3,350.78 $ | -27.3 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,963.64 $ | 2,079.40 $ | -29.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 334.28 $ | 312.32 $ | -6.6 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 260.01 $ | 205.91 $ | -20.8 % |
Salaries And Financing | Chicago, IL Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,011.38 $ | 4,850.71 $ | -3.2 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.62 | 6.57 | -0.8 % |
| Last update: | May 2024 | April 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 226 | 215 |
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Moving to Houston, TX? Explore:
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 |
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 |