Cost of Living: Chicago, IL vs Houston, TX
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL versus $4,516/mo in Houston, TX. In the model, rent is about 20.28% of gross in Chicago, IL versus 19.13% in Houston, TX, so Houston, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Chicago, IL and Houston, TX.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Houston, TX
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Houston, TX
- Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
- Higher median household income: Houston, TX
Cost of Living Index
Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100) · Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100)
Houston, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Chicago, IL, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Houston, TX: $1,248/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $75/mo higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Home Price
Chicago, IL: $147,800 · Houston, TX: $253,400
Median home price in Houston, TX is $105,600 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Chicago, IL: $56,815 · Houston, TX: $62,894
Houston, TX has a higher median household income than Chicago, IL by $6,079.
Chicago, IL overview · Houston, TX overview · Popular comparisons