Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Coral Gables, FL: $2,531 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 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
122

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

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Coral Gables, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,531

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,531 in Coral Gables, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Coral Gables, FL $2,531

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,732 in Coral Gables, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Coral Gables, FL $3,732

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,932 in Coral Gables, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Coral Gables, FL $4,932

Chicago, IL costs about 20% more than Coral Gables, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Coral Gables, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Coral Gables, FL by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.61 $17.61

17.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$74.0 $74.0

20.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.12 $10.12

30.34%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.24 $5.24

8.02%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.07 $3.07

-14.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.92 $1.92

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.15 $5.15

33.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.47 $7.47

18.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.83 $0.83

50.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.18 $4.18

-11.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.15 $3.15

71.11%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.04 $4.04

17.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.24 $13.24

4.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.15 $11.15

29.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.97 $14.97

22.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.55 $4.55

14.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.57 $1.57

26.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.34 $4.34

-6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.37 $5.37

-7.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.01 $3.01

-11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.99 $2.99

-11.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.31 $2.31

-3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.26 $1.26

148.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.09 $9.09

52.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.75 $15.75

-5.52%

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

$3.23 $3.23

8.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.96 $1.96

23.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$58.9 $58.9

24.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.03 $3.03

4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.89 $1.89

-26.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.36 $24.36

2.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$18.4K $18.4K

90.90%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$21.1K $21.1K

26.16%

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

$194 $194

$170 $170

14.04%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$39.67 $39.67

75.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$58.9 $58.9

4.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.48 $39.48

21.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.97 $12.97

37.32%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$883 $883

103.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$20.7K $20.7K

54.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$73.3 $73.3

-8.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$56.9 $56.9

-8.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$119 $119

-14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$102 $102

40.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$3,105 $3,105

-18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,281 $1,281

23.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,534 $2,534

87.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,134 $2,134

26.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,814 $2,814

48.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,321 $2,321

19.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,871 $5,871

-16.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.76

0.74%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Coral Gables, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Coral Gables, FL

$1.3K 50.6% 18.8% $297

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Coral Gables, FL

$383 15.2% 14.3% $64

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Coral Gables, FL

$295 11.7% 14.5% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Coral Gables, FL

$269 10.6% 17.3% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Coral Gables, FL

$158 6.2% 3.6% $5.9

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Coral Gables, FL

$79 3.1% 15.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Coral Gables, FL

$65 2.6% 21.7% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $3,105 in Coral Gables, 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 19% higher in Coral Gables, FL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $74 in Coral Gables, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $383 – making Coral Gables, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Coral Gables, FL

🕒 Local time

11:56 11:56 AM

12:56 12:56 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

42,794

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Coral Gables, FL 1,920 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,531 in Coral Gables, FL – roughly 20% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,797 in Coral Gables, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $3,105 in Coral Gables, FL.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $74 in Coral Gables, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Coral Gables, FL, where all-in costs run around $2,531, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Coral Gables, FL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,531 in Coral Gables, FL to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.