Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Marathon, FL: $2,807 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 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
134

Cost of Living Index in Marathon, FL
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Marathon, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Marathon, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,807

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,807 in Marathon, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Marathon, FL $2,807

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,160 in Marathon, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Marathon, FL $4,160

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,514 in Marathon, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Marathon, FL $5,514

Chicago, IL costs about 8% more than Marathon, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Marathon, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Marathon, FL by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$29.44 $29.44

-29.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$93.9 $93.9

-4.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.92 $11.92

10.65%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.31 $5.31

6.59%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.48 $2.48

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.86 $1.86

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.72 $7.72

-11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.90 $9.90

-10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.06 $1.06

17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.14 $3.14

18.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.25 $3.25

65.85%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.70 $4.70

0.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.45 $13.45

2.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.51 $12.51

15.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.03 $19.03

-3.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.74 $4.74

10.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.71 $1.71

15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.96 $2.96

37.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.54 $5.54

-10.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.06 $3.06

-12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.07 $4.07

-34.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.77 $2.77

-19.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.55 $2.55

22.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.52 $9.52

45.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.74 $12.74

16.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.70 $1.70

49.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.31 $3.31

6.04%

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

$65.3 $65.3

12.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.19 $3.19

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.72 $1.72

-19.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.80 $29.80

-16.01%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

26.99%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.57%

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

$194 $194

$223 $223

-12.98%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$72.3 $72.3

-3.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$75.2 $75.2

-17.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.30 $42.30

13.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$9.88 $9.88

80.26%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,491 $1,491

20.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.8K $23.8K

34.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$67.2 $67.2

-0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$42.34 $42.34

23.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$108 $108

-6.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$112 $112

28.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,600 $1,600

57.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,323 $1,323

19.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,537 $2,537

86.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,186 $2,186

23.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,718 $2,718

54.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,335 $2,335

18.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Marathon, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Marathon, FL

$1.3K 47.1% 16.2% $255

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Marathon, FL

$407 14.5% 9% $40

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Marathon, FL

$411 14.6% 19.1% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Marathon, FL

$371 13.2% 13.9% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Marathon, FL

$148 5.3% 9.5% $16

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Marathon, FL

$85 3% 9% $8.4

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Marathon, FL

$62 2.2% 25.7% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,600 in Marathon, FL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $94 in Marathon, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $407 in Marathon, FL – so Marathon, FL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Marathon, FL

🕒 Local time

05:20 5:20 AM

06:20 6:20 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

8,500

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,807 in Marathon, FL – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,210 in Marathon, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marathon, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,600 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $94 in Marathon, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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