Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Fort Walton Beach, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Walton Beach, FL: $2,174 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 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
104

Cost of Living Index in Fort Walton Beach, FL
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Fort Walton Beach, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Fort Walton Beach, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,174

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,174 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Fort Walton Beach, FL $2,174

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,364 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Fort Walton Beach, FL $3,364

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,554 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Fort Walton Beach, FL $4,554

Chicago, IL costs about 40% more than Fort Walton Beach, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Fort Walton Beach, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Fort Walton Beach, FL by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.19 $15.19

36.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$78.8 $78.8

13.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.41 $10.41

26.71%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.35 $5.35

5.79%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.71 $2.71

-2.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.07 $2.07

10.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.07 $5.07

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.06 $7.06

25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.02 $1.02

22.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.85 $2.85

30.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.00 $2.00

169.50%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.98 $2.98

59.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.32 $11.32

22.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.91 $9.91

45.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.98 $13.98

31.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.45 $3.45

51.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.57 $1.57

26.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.24 $3.24

25.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.94 $2.94

69.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.46 $1.46

82.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.07 $2.07

28.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.67 $1.67

34.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.49 $1.49

110.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.95 $8.95

54.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.64 $8.64

72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.84 $1.84

38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.06 $2.06

70.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.98 $1.98

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$49.46 $49.46

48.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.93 $5.93

-46.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.84 $1.84

-24.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$44.95 $44.95

-44.32%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

34.34%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.68%

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

$194 $194

$171 $171

13.69%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$49.01 $49.01

41.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.7 $64.7

-4.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$47.37 $47.37

1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.77 $13.77

29.34%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$829 $829

116.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$13.8K $13.8K

131.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$29.98 $29.98

123.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$20.32 $20.32

156.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.7 $97.7

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$107 $107

34.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,654 $1,654

52.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,049 $1,049

50.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,872 $2,872

64.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,022 $2,022

33.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$4,673 $4,673

-10.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,677 $4,677

-40.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,346 $3,346

47.37%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Fort Walton Beach, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$1K 48.3% 33.5% $529

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$302 13.9% 32.5% $145

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$275 12.7% 20.1% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$285 13.1% 12.5% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$115 5.3% 30.1% $49

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$72 3.3% 22.4% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Fort Walton Beach, FL

$75 3.5% 10.3% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,654 in Fort Walton Beach, 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 47% 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 $79 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $302 – making Fort Walton Beach, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fort Walton Beach, FL

🕒 Local time

05:42 5:42 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

19,507

💱 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 Fort Walton Beach, FL 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,174 in Fort Walton Beach, FL – Fort Walton Beach, FL comes out roughly 28% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,261 in Fort Walton Beach, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fort Walton Beach, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,654 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $79 in Fort Walton Beach, 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 Fort Walton Beach, FL, where all-in costs run around $2,174, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Fort Walton Beach, FL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fort Walton Beach, 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 Fort Walton Beach, 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.