Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Boca Raton, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,637 in Boca Raton, FL, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
175

Cost of Living Index in Boca Raton, FL
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Boca Raton, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Boca Raton, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,637

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Boca Raton, FL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Boca Raton, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $3,637 in Boca Raton, FL.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Boca Raton, FL $3,637

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $5,426 in Boca Raton, FL.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Boca Raton, FL $5,426

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $7,215 in Boca Raton, FL.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Boca Raton, FL $7,215

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 16% less than in Boca Raton, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Boca Raton, FL 167% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.45 $25.45

-18.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$101 $101

-11.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.66 $12.66

4.19%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.65 $4.65

21.72%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.36 $2.36

11.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.93 $1.93

18.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.88 $5.88

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.07 $7.07

25.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.24 $4.24

-12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.79 $6.79

-20.62%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.44 $5.44

-12.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.65 $11.65

18.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.32 $14.32

0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$24.39 $24.39

-24.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.94 $4.94

5.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.91 $1.91

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.79 $3.79

7.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.13 $5.13

-3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.35 $3.35

-20.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.40 $3.40

-21.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.01 $1.01

121.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.61 $2.61

19.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.45 $10.45

32.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.72 $13.72

8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.01 $2.01

26.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.27 $2.27

54.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.94 $1.94

25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$68.9 $68.9

6.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.07 $4.07

-21.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.78 $0.78

78.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.58 $29.58

-15.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.93 $0.93

29.03%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.4K $34.4K

1.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.70%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$194 $194

$211 $211

-8.06%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$69.5 $69.5

$52.5 $52.5

32.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$72.4 $72.4

-14.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$139 $139

-65.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$19.93 $19.93

37.18%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.03 $15.03

18.50%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,794 $1,794

$1,064 $1,064

68.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.2K $21.2K

50.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$46.36 $46.36

44.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.77 $41.77

24.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$70.8 $70.8

43.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$69.6 $69.6

106.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,754 $2,754

-8.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,133 $2,133

-26.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,124 $4,124

14.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,780 $3,780

-28.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,838 $5,838

-28.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,242 $4,242

-34.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,834 $5,834

-15.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.53

4.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Boca Raton, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Boca Raton, FL

$2.1K 58.6% 35.2% $555

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Boca Raton, FL

$453 12.5% 1.2% $5.2

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Boca Raton, FL

$358 9.9% 3.8% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Boca Raton, FL

$336 9.3% 3.3% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Boca Raton, FL

$103 2.8% 37.3% $61

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Boca Raton, FL

$85 2.3% 9.4% $8.7

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Boca Raton, FL

$169 4.7% 103% $86

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,754 in Boca Raton, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boca Raton, FL pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $101 in Boca Raton, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $453 per month, with Chicago, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Boca Raton, FL

🕒 Local time

06:59 6:59 AM

07:59 7:59 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

86,396

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Boca Raton, FL 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Boca Raton, FL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Boca Raton, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL is about 16% cheaper overall, especially in leisure and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Chicago, IL. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,754 in Boca Raton, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,794 in Chicago, IL versus $1,064 in Boca Raton, FL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $89 versus $101 in Boca Raton, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Chicago, IL wins on affordability, Boca Raton, FL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.