Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Fort Lauderdale, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 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
166

Cost of Living Index in Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Fort Lauderdale, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Fort Lauderdale, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,414

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Fort Lauderdale, FL $3,414

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,025 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Fort Lauderdale, FL $5,025

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,636 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Fort Lauderdale, FL $6,636

Chicago, IL is about 11% cheaper than Fort Lauderdale, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Fort Lauderdale, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Fort Lauderdale, FL by 151%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$29.40 $29.40

-29.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$99.7 $99.7

-10.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.55 $14.55

-9.35%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.10 $5.10

10.98%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.99 $2.99

-11.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.17 $2.17

5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.13 $6.13

12.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.93 $6.93

27.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.02 $1.02

22.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$5.03 $5.03

-26.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.75 $3.75

43.73%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.90 $4.90

-3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$17.22 $17.22

-19.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.33 $10.33

39.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$26.42 $26.42

-30.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$6.47 $6.47

-19.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.36 $4.36

-6.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.33 $5.33

-6.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.89 $2.89

-7.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.17 $3.17

-16.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.66 $2.66

-15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.79 $1.79

74.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.52 $9.52

45.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.81 $11.81

25.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.00 $3.00

-15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.12 $2.12

65.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$71.0 $71.0

3.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.01 $4.01

-20.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.81 $1.81

-23.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.92 $23.92

4.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.02 $1.02

17.65%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.3K $28.3K

23.73%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.18%

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

$194 $194

$212 $212

-8.21%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$64.8 $64.8

7.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$80.7 $80.7

-23.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.90 $42.90

11.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$14.34 $14.34

90.66%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$17.92 $17.92

-0.61%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,026 $1,026

74.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$41.2K $41.2K

-22.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$46.35 $46.35

44.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.77 $41.77

24.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$87.5 $87.5

16.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$116 $116

23.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,687 $2,687

-5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,893 $1,893

-16.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,985 $4,985

-4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,168 $3,168

-15.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,795 $5,795

-27.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,254 $4,254

-34.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,757 $4,757

3.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.63

2.71%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fort Lauderdale, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$1.9K 55.5% 20% $315

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$456 13.4% 1.9% $8.5

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$405 11.9% 17.5% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$357 10.5% 9.8% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$131 3.9% 19.9% $33

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$92 2.7% 1.2% $1.1

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$79 2.3% 5.7% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,687 in Fort Lauderdale, 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 4% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $100 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $456 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fort Lauderdale, FL

🕒 Local time

11:03 11:03 AM

12:03 12:03 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

165,521

💱 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Fort Lauderdale, 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, FL – roughly 12% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,121 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,687 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $100 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Fort Lauderdale, FL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL to $3,414 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.