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Cost of living · head to head

Chicago, IL is approximately 5% pricier than Houston, TX, using Houston, TX as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Houston, TX and Chicago, IL metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Houston, TXoverall index
98.6
Chicago, ILoverall index
103.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Houston, TX
A salary of $100,000 in Houston, TX has approximately the same purchasing power as $105,071 in Chicago, IL, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Chicago, IL is more expensive than Houston, TX, so you’d need about $105,071 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Houston, TX — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$5,100 more to cover the higher cost of living, not a real raise.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Where the difference lies

The headline gap is 5%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Chicago, IL run 7% higher than in Houston, TX (112.0 vs 104.5), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

Category comparison

CategoryHouston, TXChicago, ILDifference
Overall98.6103.6+5%
Goods100.6107.3+7%
Housing rents104.5112.0+7%
Utilities95.383.6-12%
Other services95.6100.5+5%

Chicago, IL differs from Houston, TX the most in utilities — about 12% lower in Chicago, IL — while the closest is other services.

Estimated salary equivalent in Chicago, IL

$50,000 in Houston, TX$52,535
$75,000 in Houston, TX$78,803
$100,000 in Houston, TX$105,071
$150,000 in Houston, TX$157,606
$200,000 in Houston, TX$210,142

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Chicago, IL, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Houston, TX.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Common questions

Is Chicago, IL cheaper than Houston, TX?

No — Chicago, IL has an overall cost-of-living index of 103.6 versus 98.6 for Houston, TX, making it about 5% more expensive.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Houston, TX if you moved to Chicago, IL?

About $105,071, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Houston, TX has approximately the same purchasing power as $105,071 in Chicago, IL. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Chicago, IL than in Houston, TX?

Housing rents in Chicago, IL score 112.0 versus 104.5 in Houston, TX — about 7% more expensive. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Houston, TX and Chicago, IL?

Overall, Chicago, IL is about 5% pricier than Houston, TX (index 103.6 vs 98.6), with housing 7% higher. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.