Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Cutler Bay, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Cutler Bay, FL: $2,619 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chicago, IL, United States
Cutler Bay, FL, United States
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Cutler Bay, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,619
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,619 in Cutler Bay, FL, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $3,037
  • Cutler Bay, FL $2,619

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,948 in Cutler Bay, FL, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $4,518
  • Cutler Bay, FL $3,948

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,277 in Cutler Bay, FL, rent included.

  • Chicago, IL $5,999
  • Cutler Bay, FL $5,277

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Cutler Bay, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Cutler Bay, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Cutler Bay, FL by 92%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chicago, IL
Cutler Bay, FL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.71 $20.71
$29.45 $29.45
-29.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$89.2 $89.2
$95.0 $95.0
-6.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.19 $13.19
$11.84 $11.84
11.40%
Cappuccino
$5.66 $5.66
$5.26 $5.26
7.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$2.43 $2.43
8.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$1.78 $1.78
28.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.87 $6.87
$7.53 $7.53
-8.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.84 $8.84
$10.08 $10.08
-12.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
Cutler Bay, FL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 $1.25
$1.06 $1.06
17.92%
White Bread (500g)
$3.72 $3.72
$3.04 $3.04
22.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.39 $5.39
$3.21 $3.21
67.91%
Eggs
$4.74 $4.74
$4.74 $4.74
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.84 $13.84
$13.38 $13.38
3.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.40 $14.40
$12.55 $12.55
14.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.38 $18.38
$18.92 $18.92
-2.85%
Apples (1kg)
$5.22 $5.22
$4.74 $4.74
10.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.77 $1.77
11.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.06 $4.06
$3.10 $3.10
30.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.97 $4.97
$4.28 $4.28
16.12%
Potato (1kg)
$2.67 $2.67
$3.03 $3.03
-11.88%
Onion (1kg)
$2.66 $2.66
$3.28 $3.28
-18.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 $2.24
$2.72 $2.72
-17.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.13 $3.13
$2.19 $2.19
42.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.82 $13.82
$9.09 $9.09
52.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.88 $14.88
$13.12 $13.12
13.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$1.69 $1.69
50.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 $3.51
$3.26 $3.26
7.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Chicago, IL
Cutler Bay, FL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.86 $1.86
30.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.5 $73.5
$65.2 $65.2
12.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.18 $3.18
$3.02 $3.02
5.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 $1.39
$2.00 $2.00
-30.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.03 $25.03
$24.37 $24.37
2.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.04 $1.04
15.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K $35.0K
$27.9K $27.9K
25.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$26.9K $26.9K
-0.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
Cutler Bay, FL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$194 $194
$181 $181
7.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.5 $69.5
$64.3 $64.3
8.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.6 $61.6
$74.0 $74.0
-16.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
Cutler Bay, FL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.90 $47.90
$38.15 $38.15
25.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.34 $27.34
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.81 $17.81
$9.97 $9.97
78.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chicago, IL
Cutler Bay, FL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,794 $1,794
$1,470 $1,470
22.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.9K $31.9K
$40.2K $40.2K
-20.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
Cutler Bay, FL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.0 $67.0
$50.4 $50.4
32.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.1 $52.1
$41.13 $41.13
26.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 $102
$101 $101
0.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 $144
$111 $111
30.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
Cutler Bay, FL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,526 $2,526
$1,746 $1,746
44.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,578 $1,578
$1,216 $1,216
29.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,738 $4,738
$2,697 $2,697
75.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,693 $2,693
$2,068 $2,068
30.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,190 $4,190
$2,873 $2,873
45.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,768 $2,768
$2,062 $2,062
34.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chicago, IL
Cutler Bay, FL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,931 $4,931
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
6.56
3.81%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cutler Bay, FL: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chicago, IL
$1.6K
Cutler Bay, FL
$1.2K 22.9% $362
Groceries & Markets
Chicago, IL
$447
Cutler Bay, FL
$395 11.8% $53
Eating Out
Chicago, IL
$345
Cutler Bay, FL
$409 18.5% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chicago, IL
$326
Cutler Bay, FL
$319 1.9% $6.1
Clothing & Footwear
Chicago, IL
$164
Cutler Bay, FL
$136 16.9% $28
Getting Around
Chicago, IL
$93
Cutler Bay, FL
$86 8.3% $7.7
Sport & Entertainment
Chicago, IL
$84
Cutler Bay, FL
$58 30.4% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,746 in Cutler Bay, FL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $95 in Cutler Bay, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $395 in Cutler Bay, FL – so Cutler Bay, FL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 Cutler Bay, FL
🕒 Local time
15:48 3:48 PM
16:48 4:48 PM
1 h ahead of Chicago, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,746,388
30,253
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chicago, IL Cutler Bay, FL 1,930 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chicago, IL
  • Cutler Bay, 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 Cutler Bay, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chicago, IL and in Cutler Bay, FL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,619 in Cutler Bay, FL – Cutler Bay, FL comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Chicago, IL compared to Cutler Bay, FL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,929 in Cutler Bay, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chicago, IL and Cutler Bay, FL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cutler Bay, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,746 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $95 in Cutler Bay, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $2,000 budget?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,619 in Cutler Bay, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Where should families live: Chicago, IL or Cutler Bay, FL?
Families tend to lean toward Cutler Bay, FL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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