Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Cape Coral, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Cape Coral, FL: $2,560 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 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
124

Cost of Living Index in Cape Coral, FL
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Cape Coral, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Cape Coral, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,560

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,560 in Cape Coral, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Cape Coral, FL $2,560

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,046 in Cape Coral, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Cape Coral, FL $4,046

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,533 in Cape Coral, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Cape Coral, FL $5,533

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Cape Coral, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Cape Coral, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Cape Coral, FL by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$29.57 $29.57

-29.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$98.6 $98.6

-9.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.85 $9.85

33.91%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.11 $5.11

10.76%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.90 $2.90

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.10 $2.10

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.07 $5.07

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.17 $7.17

23.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.07 $1.07

16.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.22 $3.22

15.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.68 $3.68

46.47%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.29 $3.29

44.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.50 $9.50

45.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.97 $12.97

11.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.57 $13.57

35.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.41 $5.41

-3.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.88 $1.88

5.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.28 $4.28

-5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.53 $4.53

9.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.86 $2.86

-6.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.30 $3.30

-19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.60 $2.60

-13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.88 $1.88

66.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.08 $8.08

71.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.82 $10.82

37.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.27 $2.27

11.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.11 $2.11

66.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$35.55 $35.55

106.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.93 $3.93

-19.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.85 $1.85

-24.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.47 $24.47

2.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.4K $28.4K

23.24%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$19.8K $19.8K

34.84%

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

$194 $194

$210 $210

-7.56%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.2 $58.2

19.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$81.3 $81.3

-24.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$32.27 $32.27

48.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.39 $12.39

43.74%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$844 $844

112.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$42.4K $42.4K

-24.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.02 $47.02

42.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$34.84 $34.84

49.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$84.7 $84.7

19.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$128 $128

12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,786 $1,786

41.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,216 $1,216

29.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,600 $2,600

82.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,475 $2,475

8.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,746 $2,746

52.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,732 $2,732

1.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,820 $3,820

29.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.42

6.07%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cape Coral, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Cape Coral, FL

$1.2K 47.5% 22.9% $362

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Cape Coral, FL

$368 14.4% 17.7% $79

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Cape Coral, FL

$387 15.1% 12.2% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Cape Coral, FL

$350 13.7% 7.5% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Cape Coral, FL

$132 5.2% 19.3% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Cape Coral, FL

$49 * 1.9% 47.8% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Cape Coral, FL

$57 2.2% 31.7% $26

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,786 in Cape Coral, 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 29% 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 $99 in Cape Coral, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $368 in Cape Coral, FL – so Cape Coral, FL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Cape Coral, FL

🕒 Local time

19:59 7:59 PM

20:59 8:59 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

154,305

💱 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 Cape Coral, FL 1,780 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Cape Coral, 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 $3,839 in Cape Coral, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cape Coral, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,786 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $99 in Cape Coral, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,560 in Cape Coral, FL. That makes Cape Coral, FL about 16% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,560 in Cape Coral, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Cape Coral, FL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cape Coral, 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.