Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bradenton, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Bradenton, FL: $2,647 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Bradenton, FL
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Bradenton, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Bradenton, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,647

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Bradenton, 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 Bradenton, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,647 in Bradenton, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Bradenton, FL $2,647

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,697 in Bradenton, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Bradenton, FL $3,697

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,746 in Bradenton, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Bradenton, FL $4,746

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Bradenton, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Bradenton, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Bradenton, FL by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.88 $19.88

4.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$69.6 $69.6

28.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.94 $11.94

10.47%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.02 $5.02

12.75%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.50 $2.50

5.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.98 $1.98

15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.86 $4.86

41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.88 $5.88

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.84 $0.84

48.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.36 $3.36

10.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.37 $3.37

59.94%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.12 $4.12

15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$8.85 $8.85

56.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.95 $11.95

20.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.24 $18.24

0.77%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.14 $3.14

66.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.48 $1.48

33.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.23 $2.23

82.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.35 $4.35

14.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.22 $2.22

20.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.74 $3.74

-28.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.31 $2.31

-3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.80 $1.80

73.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.37 $9.37

47.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.19 $12.19

22.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.08 $2.08

22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.49 $4.49

-21.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.54 $1.54

57.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$39.25 $39.25

87.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.96 $1.96

62.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.44 $2.44

-43.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.00 $1.00

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

33.82%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.69%

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

$194 $194

$186 $186

4.60%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$54.8 $54.8

26.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$51.5 $51.5

19.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$24.45 $24.45

95.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$9.80 $9.80

178.98%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.93 $12.93

37.74%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,900 $1,900

-5.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$16.1K $16.1K

98.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$43.21 $43.21

55.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.38 $39.38

32.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$79.4 $79.4

27.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$96.8 $96.8

48.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,763 $1,763

43.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,463 $1,463

7.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,638 $2,638

79.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,110 $2,110

27.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,894 $2,894

44.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,578 $2,578

7.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,075 $4,075

20.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.85

-0.58%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bradenton, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Bradenton, FL

$1.5K 55.3% 7.3% $115

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Bradenton, FL

$357 13.5% 20.2% $90

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Bradenton, FL

$309 11.7% 10.4% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Bradenton, FL

$292 11% 10.3% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Bradenton, FL

$116 4.4% 29% $48

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Bradenton, FL

$60 2.3% 36.2% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Bradenton, FL

$50 1.9% 39.8% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,763 in Bradenton, FL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $70 in Bradenton, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $357 – making Bradenton, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Bradenton, FL

🕒 Local time

15:51 3:51 PM

16:51 4:51 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

53,662

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Bradenton, FL 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Bradenton, 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 Bradenton, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Bradenton, FL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,971 in Bradenton, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bradenton, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,763 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,647 in Bradenton, FL. That makes Bradenton, FL about 13% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Bradenton, FL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,647 in Bradenton, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,647 in Bradenton, FL to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Bradenton, FL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.