Illinois to Texas: Cost of Living Comparison
Moving from Illinois to Texas, the cost of living is about 2.9% cheaper. To keep the same standard of living you have on $100,000 in Illinois, you'd need roughly $97,100 in Texas — a cut of about $2,900.
| Illinois | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US avg = 100) | 100.0 | 97.1 |
| Salary to match $100,000 | $100,000 | $97,100 |
| Purchasing power of $100,000 | $100,000 | $102,987 |
Based on BEA 2024 Regional Price Parities (all-items). Texas is at 97.1 vs Illinois at 100.0 on the national-average scale of 100.
Want to try your own salary or a different pair of states? Use the interactive cost-of-living calculator →
How the Illinois → Texas comparison works
Cost of living differs from place to place because the same basket of goods, services and — above all — housing costs different amounts. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measures this with Regional Price Parities (RPP): an index where the national average is 100. Illinois sits at 100.0 and Texas at 97.1, which means everyday spending in Texas costs about 2.9% less than in Illinois.
To keep the same standard of living you enjoy on $100,000 in Illinois, you would need about $97,100 in Texas. Looked at the other way, if you moved with the same $100,000 paycheck, its real purchasing power once you're paying Texas prices would feel like $102,987.
Remember this is a statewide, all-items average. Your actual experience depends heavily on where exactly you live, whether you rent or own, and your lifestyle — and it doesn't account for the difference in income tax between the two states, which you can model separately in the take-home-pay tools below.
Equivalent salary at other income levels
| Your salary in Illinois | Equivalent in Texas | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $48,550 | −$1,450 |
| $75,000 | $72,825 | −$2,175 |
| $100,000 | $97,100 | −$2,900 |
| $150,000 | $145,650 | −$4,350 |
| $200,000 | $194,200 | −$5,800 |
See your take-home pay in each state
Cost of living is only half the picture — income tax changes what you actually keep. Compare paychecks:
Move from Illinois to another state
⚠️ Cost-of-living estimate based on BEA 2024 Regional Price Parities (all-items, statewide average). Real costs vary by city, housing and lifestyle, and this does not include the difference in state income tax. For general guidance only — not financial advice.