Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Clearwater, FL: $3,037 and $2,966 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Clearwater, FL
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Clearwater, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Clearwater, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,966

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,966 in Clearwater, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Clearwater, FL $2,966

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,418 in Clearwater, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Clearwater, FL $4,418

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,870 in Clearwater, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Clearwater, FL $5,870

Chicago, IL and Clearwater, FL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Clearwater, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Clearwater, FL by 118%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.13 $17.13

20.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$68.5 $68.5

30.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.70 $11.70

12.74%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.94 $4.94

14.57%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.27 $2.27

16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.82 $1.82

25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.48 $5.48

25.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.07 $8.07

9.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.98 $0.98

27.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.75 $3.75

-0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.42 $4.42

21.95%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.03 $4.03

17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.81 $10.81

28.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.43 $14.43

-0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.67 $19.67

-6.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.50 $6.50

-19.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.47 $1.47

34.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.07 $6.07

-33.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.16 $6.16

-19.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.66 $4.66

-42.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.88 $3.88

-31.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.58 $2.58

-13.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.69 $2.69

16.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.10 $9.10

51.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.81 $16.81

-11.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.81 $1.81

40.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.63 $4.63

-24.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.94 $2.94

-17.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$80.7 $80.7

-8.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.31 $3.31

-3.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.66 $0.66

110.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$61.2 $61.2

-59.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.97 $0.97

23.71%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.8K $27.8K

26.22%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.35%

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

$194 $194

$249 $249

-22.00%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$55.4 $55.4

25.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$75.7 $75.7

-18.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$37.23 $37.23

28.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$25.09 $25.09

8.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$16.03 $16.03

11.10%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,252 $1,252

43.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

25.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$75.3 $75.3

-11.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$54.4 $54.4

-4.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$108 $108

-5.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$140 $140

2.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,973 $1,973

28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,499 $1,499

5.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,204 $3,204

47.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,708 $2,708

-0.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,115 $3,115

34.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,528 $2,528

9.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,695 $3,695

33.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Clearwater, FL: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Clearwater, FL

$1.5K 50.5% 5% $79

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Clearwater, FL

$457 15.4% 2.2% $9.9

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Clearwater, FL

$291 9.8% 15.5% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Clearwater, FL

$380 12.8% 16.8% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Clearwater, FL

$170 5.7% 3.7% $6

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Clearwater, FL

$99 3.3% 6.1% $5.7

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Clearwater, FL

$69 2.3% 17% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,973 in Clearwater, 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 33% 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 $68 in Clearwater, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $457 in Clearwater, FL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Clearwater, FL

🕒 Local time

22:51 10:51 PM

23:51 11:51 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

107,742

💱 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 Clearwater, FL 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,450 in Clearwater, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Clearwater, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,973 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,252 in Clearwater, FL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,966 in Clearwater, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Clearwater, 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 Clearwater, 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.