Cost of Living: Waco, TX vs Chicago, IL
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,516/mo in Waco, TX versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 15.99% of gross in Waco, TX versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Waco, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Waco, TX and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Waco, TX
- Lower home prices: Chicago, IL
- Higher median household income: Chicago, IL
Cost of Living Index
Waco, TX: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Waco, TX, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Waco, TX: $1,043/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $280/mo higher than in Waco, TX.
Median Home Price
Waco, TX: $199,600 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Waco, TX is $51,800 higher than in Chicago, IL.
Median Household Income
Waco, TX: $51,468 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Chicago, IL has a higher median household income than Waco, TX by $5,347.
Waco, TX overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons