Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Florence, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Florence, SC: $2,285 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 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
110

Cost of Living Index in Florence, SC
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Florence, SC Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Florence, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,285

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Florence, SC

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 Florence, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,285 in Florence, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Florence, SC $2,285

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,220 in Florence, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Florence, SC $3,220

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,156 in Florence, SC, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Florence, SC $4,156

Chicago, IL costs about 33% more than Florence, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Florence, SC sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Florence, SC by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.27 $15.27

35.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$63.7 $63.7

40.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.06 $11.06

19.26%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.87 $4.87

16.22%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.54 $2.54

3.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.99 $1.99

14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.02 $5.02

36.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.87 $6.87

28.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.02 $1.02

22.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.14 $4.14

-10.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.81 $5.81

-7.23%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.32 $5.32

-10.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.54 $11.54

19.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.48 $14.48

-0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$24.86 $24.86

-26.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.70 $6.70

-22.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.73 $1.73

14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$7.01 $7.01

-42.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.14 $6.14

-19.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.14 $4.14

-35.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$5.92 $5.92

-55.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.30 $2.30

-2.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.18 $3.18

-1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.82 $8.82

56.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.73 $14.73

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.98 $1.98

28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$6.00 $6.00

-41.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$7.04 $7.04

-54.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.91 $1.91

-27.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.95 $0.95

26.32%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

28.78%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.29%

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

$194 $194

$289 $289

-32.65%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$56.1 $56.1

23.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$40.71 $40.71

51.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.27 $15.27

16.63%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,344 $1,344

33.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.44 $40.44

65.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$30.16 $30.16

72.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$106 $106

-4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$71.2 $71.2

101.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$981 $981

157.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$966 $966

63.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,512 $1,512

213.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,342 $1,342

100.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,586 $1,586

164.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,616 $1,616

71.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,094 $3,094

59.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Florence, SC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Florence, SC

$967 42.3% 38.8% $612

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Florence, SC

$503 22% 12.5% $56

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Florence, SC

$271 11.9% 21.5% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Florence, SC

$385 16.9% 18.4% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Florence, SC

$112 4.9% 31.9% $52

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Florence, SC

$17 * 0.7% 82.2% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Florence, SC

$31 * 1.3% 63.4% $53

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $981 in Florence, SC. 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 59% 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 $64 in Florence, SC. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $503 in Florence, SC – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Florence, SC

🕒 Local time

14:44 2:44 PM

15:44 3:44 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

40,184

💱 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 Florence, SC 1,100 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Florence, SC

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 Florence, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,285 in Florence, SC – Florence, SC comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,427 in Florence, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Florence, SC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $981 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $64 in Florence, SC. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,285 in Florence, SC. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Florence, SC – 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 Florence, SC. 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.