Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Destin, Fl

For one person, living is cheaper in Destin, Fl: $2,414 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
116

Cost of Living Index in Destin, Fl
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Destin, Fl Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Destin, Fl

🇺🇸 United States

$2,414

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,414 in Destin, Fl, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Destin, Fl $2,414

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,546 in Destin, Fl, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Destin, Fl $3,546

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,679 in Destin, Fl, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Destin, Fl $4,679

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

Both Chicago, IL and Destin, Fl sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Destin, Fl by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$17.20 $17.20

18.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$80.2 $80.2

10.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.37 $10.37

23.92%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.87 $4.87

18.69%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.64 $2.64

3.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.07 $2.07

9.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.87 $4.87

41.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.98 $5.98

54.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.93 $0.93

35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.38 $3.38

5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$1.98 $1.98

171.72%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.01 $3.01

51.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$9.03 $9.03

51.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$7.94 $7.94

77.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$12.02 $12.02

50.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.13 $4.13

24.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.27 $1.27

55.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.61 $3.61

7.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.47 $4.47

8.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.38 $2.38

18.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.53 $2.53

5.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.69 $1.69

22.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.47 $1.47

106.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$8.91 $8.91

56.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.03 $15.03

0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.47 $1.47

78.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.96 $1.96

76.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.03 $2.03

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$61.0 $61.0

23.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.56 $2.56

23.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.53 $1.53

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$28.62 $28.62

-13.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.99 $0.99

29.29%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$24.4K $24.4K

46.61%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.2K $24.2K

10.68%

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

$192 $192

$169 $169

13.44%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$49.34 $49.34

41.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$57.4 $57.4

8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$40.67 $40.67

17.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.24 $12.24

45.67%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$883 $883

105.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$13.9K $13.9K

191.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$61.1 $61.1

8.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$29.54 $29.54

73.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$90.9 $90.9

13.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$108 $108

32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,264 $2,264

11.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,272 $1,272

27.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,520 $2,520

91.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,095 $2,095

30.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$4,910 $4,910

-15.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$4,914 $4,914

-44.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$3,310 $3,310

48.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.42

5.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Destin, Fl: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Destin, Fl

$1.3K 52.7% 21.6% $349

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Destin, Fl

$309 12.8% 29.7% $130

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Destin, Fl

$282 11.7% 17.9% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Destin, Fl

$276 11.4% 14.8% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Destin, Fl

$130 5.4% 20.5% $33

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Destin, Fl

$79 3.3% 17.9% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Destin, Fl

$65 2.7% 21.9% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,264 in Destin, 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 49% 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 $80 in Destin, Fl. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $309 – making Destin, Fl the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Destin, Fl

🕒 Local time

17:48 5:48 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

12,305

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Destin, Fl 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Destin, 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 Destin, Fl: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,414 in Destin, Fl – Destin, Fl comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,620 in Destin, Fl. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Destin, Fl, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,264 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $80 in Destin, 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 Destin, Fl, where all-in costs run around $2,414, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Destin, Fl it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Destin, 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 Destin, 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.