Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Key West, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $4,854 in Key West, FL, rent and utilities included – about $21,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Key West, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
230

Cost of Living Index in Key West, FL
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Key West, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Key West, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$4,854

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,854 in Key West, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Key West, FL $4,854

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $7,044 in Key West, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Key West, FL $7,044

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $9,234 in Key West, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Key West, FL $9,234

Chicago, IL is about 37% cheaper than Key West, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chicago, IL and Key West, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Key West, FL by 257%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$21.78 $21.78

-4.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$101 $101

-11.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.08 $12.08

9.19%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.70 $4.70

20.43%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.34 $2.34

12.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.00 $2.00

14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.92 $5.92

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.80 $6.80

30.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.76 $3.76

-1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.57 $6.57

-17.96%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.42 $5.42

-12.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.69 $11.69

18.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.64 $13.64

5.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$23.55 $23.55

-21.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.96 $4.96

5.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.89 $1.89

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.72 $3.72

9.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.03 $5.03

-1.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.89 $5.89

-54.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.40 $3.40

-21.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.41 $3.41

-34.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.57 $2.57

21.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.18 $8.18

68.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.03 $14.03

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.93 $1.93

31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.28 $2.28

53.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$4.04 $4.04

-39.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.06 $4.06

-21.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.05 $3.05

-54.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.13 $30.13

-16.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.90 $0.90

33.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$34.5K $34.5K

1.43%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.25%

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

$194 $194

$216 $216

-10.12%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$52.6 $52.6

32.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$75.0 $75.0

-17.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$80.1 $80.1

-40.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.92 $13.92

27.95%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,069 $1,069

67.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.3K $21.3K

49.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.45 $47.45

41.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$42.08 $42.08

23.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$72.6 $72.6

39.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$67.4 $67.4

113.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$3,413 $3,413

-25.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$3,478 $3,478

-54.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$7,139 $7,139

-33.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$6,089 $6,089

-55.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$9,569 $9,569

-56.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$9,439 $9,439

-70.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,899 $5,899

-16.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.38

6.74%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Key West, FL: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Key West, FL

$3.5K 71.7% 120% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Key West, FL

$457 9.4% 2.2% $10

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Key West, FL

$327 6.8% 5.1% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Key West, FL

$344 7.1% 5.6% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Key West, FL

$103 2.1% 37% $61

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Key West, FL

$36 * 0.7% 62% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Key West, FL

$108 2.2% 29.3% $24

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 $3,413 in Key West, 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 20% higher in Key West, FL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $101 in Key West, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $457 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Key West, FL

🕒 Local time

09:13 9:13 AM

10:13 10:13 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

24,684

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Key West, FL 2,000 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $4,854 in Key West, FL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 37% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $7,281 in Key West, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,526 there versus $3,413 in Key West, FL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,069 in Key West, FL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $4,854 in Key West, FL. That makes Chicago, IL about 37% cheaper.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $4,854 in Key West, 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 $4,854 in Key West, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Key West, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.