Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Jacksonville, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Jacksonville, FL: $2,487 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 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
119

Cost of Living Index in Jacksonville, FL
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Jacksonville, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Jacksonville, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,487

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,487 in Jacksonville, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Jacksonville, FL $2,487

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,787 in Jacksonville, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Jacksonville, FL $3,787

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,087 in Jacksonville, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Jacksonville, FL $5,087

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than Jacksonville, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Jacksonville, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Jacksonville, FL by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.69 $19.69

5.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$102 $102

-12.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.37 $11.37

16.01%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.58 $5.58

1.43%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.11 $3.11

-15.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.18 $2.18

4.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.98 $4.98

37.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.19 $7.19

22.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.35 $3.35

11.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.73 $3.73

44.50%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.40 $4.40

7.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.72 $13.72

0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.57 $9.57

50.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.24 $16.24

13.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.82 $4.82

8.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.42 $1.42

39.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.97 $3.97

2.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.53 $4.53

9.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.93 $2.93

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.06 $3.06

-13.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.67 $2.67

-16.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.50 $2.50

25.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.34 $9.34

47.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.63 $14.63

1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.05 $2.05

23.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.21 $3.21

9.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.77 $1.77

37.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$64.5 $64.5

13.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.51 $1.51

110.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.17 $1.17

18.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$13.75 $13.75

82.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.3K $31.3K

11.85%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.24%

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

$194 $194

$218 $218

-10.77%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$64.4 $64.4

7.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$68.2 $68.2

-9.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$35.02 $35.02

36.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$6.49 $6.49

321.26%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.76 $14.76

20.66%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,318 $1,318

36.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$12.0K $12.0K

165.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$64.1 $64.1

4.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.85 $47.85

8.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$112 $112

-9.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$151 $151

-5.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,651 $1,651

53.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,118 $1,118

41.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,590 $2,590

82.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,963 $1,963

37.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,356 $2,356

77.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,066 $2,066

34.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,010 $4,010

22.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.69

1.79%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Jacksonville, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Jacksonville, FL

$1.1K 45% 29.1% $460

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Jacksonville, FL

$386 15.5% 13.6% $61

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Jacksonville, FL

$319 12.8% 7.5% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Jacksonville, FL

$350 14.1% 7.7% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Jacksonville, FL

$169 6.8% 3% $4.8

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Jacksonville, FL

$79 3.2% 15.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Jacksonville, FL

$65 2.6% 22.7% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,651 in Jacksonville, 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 23% 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 $102 in Jacksonville, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $386 in Jacksonville, FL – so Jacksonville, FL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Jacksonville, FL

🕒 Local time

17:43 5:43 PM

18:43 6:43 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

949,611

💱 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 Jacksonville, FL 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,487 in Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville, FL comes out roughly 18% 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 $3,730 in Jacksonville, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jacksonville, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,651 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $102 in Jacksonville, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,487 in Jacksonville, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, 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.