Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Lake Worth, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Lake Worth, FL: $2,542 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Lake Worth, FL
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Lake Worth, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Lake Worth, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,542

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,542 in Lake Worth, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Lake Worth, FL $2,542

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,794 in Lake Worth, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Lake Worth, FL $3,794

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,045 in Lake Worth, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Lake Worth, FL $5,045

Chicago, IL costs about 19% more than Lake Worth, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Lake Worth, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Lake Worth, FL by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.04 $25.04

-17.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.5 $75.5

18.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.08 $10.08

30.85%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.97 $4.97

13.88%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.51 $2.51

5.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.88 $1.88

21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.30 $5.30

29.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.67 $7.67

15.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.86 $0.86

45.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.11 $3.11

19.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.05 $3.05

76.72%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.51 $4.51

5.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.34 $13.34

3.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.08 $11.08

29.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.69 $14.69

25.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.69 $4.69

11.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.98 $2.98

36.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.49 $5.49

-9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.00 $3.00

-11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.30 $3.30

-19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.23 $2.23

0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.45 $2.45

27.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.14 $9.14

51.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.76 $12.76

16.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.78 $1.78

42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.27 $3.27

7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.20 $2.20

10.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$52.4 $52.4

40.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.05 $3.05

4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.85 $1.85

-24.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$32.95 $32.95

-24.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.4K $28.4K

23.45%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

0.52%

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

$194 $194

$173 $173

12.69%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$57.8 $57.8

20.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.4 $76.4

-19.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$35.43 $35.43

35.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.17 $10.17

75.12%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$900 $900

99.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$20.8K $20.8K

53.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$65.5 $65.5

2.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.51 $41.51

25.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$117 $117

-13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$101 $101

42.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,633 $1,633

54.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,234 $1,234

27.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,425 $2,425

95.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,128 $2,128

26.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,638 $2,638

58.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,528 $2,528

9.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,572 $7,572

-34.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.56

3.81%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lake Worth, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Lake Worth, FL

$1.2K 48.5% 21.8% $344

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Lake Worth, FL

$377 14.8% 15.8% $71

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Lake Worth, FL

$350 13.8% 1.3% $4.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Lake Worth, FL

$307 12.1% 5.8% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Lake Worth, FL

$146 5.8% 10.8% $18

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Lake Worth, FL

$73 2.9% 21.4% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Lake Worth, FL

$56 2.2% 33.2% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,633 in Lake Worth, 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 54% higher in Lake Worth, FL, 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 $76 in Lake Worth, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $377 – making Lake Worth, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lake Worth, FL

🕒 Local time

20:37 8:37 PM

21:37 9:37 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

42,000

💱 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 Lake Worth, FL 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,542 in Lake Worth, FL – Lake Worth, FL comes out roughly 16% 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 $3,814 in Lake Worth, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lake Worth, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,633 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Lake Worth, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,542 in Lake Worth, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lake Worth, FL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Lake Worth, FL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 16% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.