Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Defuniak Springs, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Defuniak Springs, FL: $2,463 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
118

Cost of Living Index in Defuniak Springs, FL
Learn more

Defuniak Springs, FL Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Defuniak Springs, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,463

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,463 in Defuniak Springs, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Defuniak Springs, FL $2,463

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,628 in Defuniak Springs, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Defuniak Springs, FL $3,628

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,793 in Defuniak Springs, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Defuniak Springs, FL $4,793

Chicago, IL costs about 27% more than Defuniak Springs, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Defuniak Springs, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Defuniak Springs, FL by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$26.04 $26.04

-20.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$81.1 $81.1

11.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.83 $11.83

9.38%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.27 $5.27

6.26%

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

$2.64 $2.64

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.00 $2.00

13.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.97 $4.97

40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.89 $6.89

28.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.97 $0.97

30.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.74 $3.74

1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.03 $2.03

161.08%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.90 $2.90

64.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.58 $11.58

20.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.19 $10.19

43.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$14.01 $14.01

33.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.15 $4.15

25.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.26 $4.26

-7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.12 $2.12

133.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.90 $1.90

45.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.86 $1.86

48.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.67 $1.67

32.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.14 $2.14

39.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$7.34 $7.34

91.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$10.89 $10.89

40.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.90 $1.90

35.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.96 $1.96

78.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.19 $2.19

12.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.47 $2.47

35.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.52 $1.52

-5.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$28.24 $28.24

-13.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.03 $1.03

22.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.4K $29.4K

19.15%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.83%

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

$193 $193

$149 $149

29.24%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$49.37 $49.37

38.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$65.2 $65.2

-5.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.55 $41.55

30.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$7.18 $7.18

147.08%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$997 $997

65.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$13.9K $13.9K

124.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$23.76 $23.76

178.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$16.66 $16.66

207.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$97.9 $97.9

2.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$106 $106

32.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,612 $1,612

51.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,322 $1,322

26.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,547 $2,547

85.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,173 $2,173

28.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,709 $2,709

51.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,348 $2,348

12.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,090 $3,090

57.47%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Defuniak Springs, FL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Defuniak Springs, FL

$1.3K 53.7% 21.2% $356

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Defuniak Springs, FL

$329 13.4% 26.8% $120

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Defuniak Springs, FL

$364 14.8% 6% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Defuniak Springs, FL

$264 10.7% 18.2% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Defuniak Springs, FL

$110 4.5% 31.7% $51

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Defuniak Springs, FL

$19 * 0.8% 80.2% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Defuniak Springs, FL

$56 2.3% 37.6% $34

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,612 in Defuniak Springs, 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 57% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $81.0 in Defuniak Springs, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $329 – making Defuniak Springs, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Defuniak Springs, FL

🕒 Local time

04:33 4:33 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

6,500

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Defuniak Springs, FL 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,463 in Defuniak Springs, FL – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,695 in Defuniak Springs, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Defuniak Springs, FL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $81.0 in Defuniak Springs, FL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,463 in Defuniak Springs, 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 $2,463 in Defuniak Springs, FL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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