Chicago vs Houston - Cost of Living Comparison

Chicago Houston
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2372
$2141
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$5663
$5033
🏠 One person rent
$1412
$1297
🏘️ Family rent
$2402
$2145
🍽️ Food expenses
$585
$516
🚐 Transport expenses
$210
$194
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$5314
$5183
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Good
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
16 km
🎓 Higher education
100
100
😀 Quality of life
96
93
🏙️ Population
2.75M
2.3M

The cost of living in Chicago is 11% more expensive than in Houston. Cities ranked 254th and 438th ($2372 vs $2141) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 195th and 340th in the United States.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.2 months in Chicago compared to 2.4 months in Houston. Ranked 1st vs 6th best cities to live in the United States, and 11th vs 54th among the best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Chicago vs Houston infographic

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Prices in Chicago vs Houston

Prices for goods and services in Chicago and Houston are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Chicago Houston
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$16.8
$14.3
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$62.8
$63.3
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.52
$8.97
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$5.86
$5.6
 Cappuccino
$5.14
$4.78
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.6
$2.29
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1692
$1344
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1112
$1043
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3028
$2617
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1930
$1701
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$124
$123
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$192
$191
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$60.8
$70.6
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.59%
4.97%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4099
$2987
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2764
$1725
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.5
$1.25
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$77.1
$40.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$17.1
$27
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.21
$0.94
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.04
$0.94
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.81
$2.93
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.12
$3.01
🥚 Eggs, x12
$4.12
$3.84
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.8
$11.9
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12
$8.82
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.4
$14.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.41
$4.44
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$1.32
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.66
$3.26
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.1
$3.19
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.99
$2.11
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.11
$2.18
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.51
$1.49
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.21
$2.35
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$15.6
$12.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.75
$2.73
🚬 Cigarette pack
$15.6
$7.93
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.5
$8.12
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.76
$4.83
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$4.92
$3.94
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.98
$1.97
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$63.1
$39.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$14.5
$12.2
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$101
$95.3
💇 Haircut, simple
$26.3
$15.9
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.8
$47.7
👟 Brand Sneakers
$92.3
$80
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$1798
$1267
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$21587
$24330

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2010
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2103
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2132
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2011
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2010
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2114
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2022
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2008
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2016
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2012
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2020
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2051
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2008
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2021
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2014
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2023
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2025
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$1890
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2010
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2016
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2021
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1902
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2009
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2014
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2020
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$1995
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2009
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2011
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2020
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2015
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2017
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2016
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2013
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2015
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2016
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2022

Cities near Houston

Distance City Cost of living
22 km or 14 mi Pasadena
$2020
25 km or 15 mi Pearland
$2028
25 km or 16 mi Missouri
$2024
27 km or 17 mi Deer Park
$2022
29 km or 18 mi Sugar Land
$1877
32 km or 20 mi Spring
$2311
33 km or 21 mi Friendswood
$2011
35 km or 22 mi La Porte
$2020
40 km or 25 mi Baytown
$1769
41 km or 25 mi League
$1915
42 km or 26 mi Alvin
$2025
47 km or 29 mi Rosenberg
$2006
48 km or 30 mi The Woodlands
$1945
59 km or 37 mi Texas City
$2014
62 km or 38 mi Conroe
$1813
76 km or 47 mi Galveston
$2066
81 km or 50 mi Lake Jackson
$2013
108 km or 67 mi Huntsville
$1965
126 km or 78 mi Beaumont
$1985
129 km or 80 mi College Station
$1663
138 km or 86 mi Bryan
$2013
140 km or 87 mi Port Arthur
$2010
186 km or 115 mi Lufkin
$2011
188 km or 117 mi Victoria
$1566
203 km or 126 mi Sulphur
$2011
215 km or 134 mi Lake Charles
$1802
217 km or 135 mi Nacogdoches
$1509
229 km or 142 mi Pflugerville
$2021
234 km or 145 mi Austin
$2672
236 km or 146 mi Round Rock
$2237
239 km or 149 mi Temple
$1883
242 km or 150 mi Kyle
$2015
242 km or 150 mi Georgetown
$2022
247 km or 153 mi San Marcos
$1762
249 km or 155 mi Cedar Park
$2024
250 km or 156 mi Seguin
$2021
254 km or 158 mi Leander
$2352
261 km or 162 mi Waco
$1778
262 km or 163 mi Harker Heights
$2007
264 km or 164 mi New Braunfels
$1735