Cost of living, taxes, and quality of life compared for 2026 — with a verdict.
Illinois vs Texas comes down to what you value. Texas is the more affordable of the two — its cost of living runs about 10% lower than Illinois, so the same paycheck stretches further. Texas ranks higher overall on our Best Life Rank (#42 vs #45), balancing cost against quality of life. Illinois is strongest on schools and weakest on air quality; Texas is strongest on economy and weakest on healthcare.
| Metric | Illinois | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| BLISS score (cost) | 0.98 2% below average | 0.89 12% below average |
| Best Life Rank | #45 | #42 |
| Cost of living | #26 | #15 |
| Climate | #42 | #40 |
| Healthcare | #28 | #48 |
| Schools | #14 | #32 |
| Safety | #27 | #41 |
| Economy | #47 | #3 |
| Air quality | #48 | #41 |
Ranks are out of 50 states (#1 = best). BLISS score is a cost-of-living multiplier where 1.00 = the U.S. average; lower is cheaper. Green = the better of the two.
To live the way $100,000 does in Illinois, you'd need about $90,500 in Texas.
To live the way $100,000 does in Texas, you'd need about $110,500 in Illinois.
Based on each state's BLISS cost score. See your real after-tax paycheck in each state below.
Enter your salary and get your actual paycheck after Illinois taxes.
Calculate my take-home pay ›Enter your salary and get your actual paycheck after Texas taxes.
Calculate my take-home pay ›Texas is cheaper. Its cost of living is about 10% lower, reflected in a BLISS score of 0.89 versus 0.98. A lower BLISS score means your paycheck goes further.
On our Best Life Rank, which balances cost against climate, healthcare, schools, safety, economy and air quality, Texas ranks higher (#42 vs #45). But 'better' depends on your priorities — Illinois leads on schools while Texas leads on economy.
Because of the cost-of-living difference, $100,000 in Illinois is roughly equivalent to $90,500 in Texas for the same lifestyle. See each state's real after-tax take-home pay with our paycheck guides linked above.