Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Middleburg, FL: $2,305 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
111

Cost of Living Index in Middleburg, FL
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Middleburg, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Middleburg, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,305

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,305 in Middleburg, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Middleburg, FL $2,305

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,298 in Middleburg, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Middleburg, FL $3,298

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,290 in Middleburg, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Middleburg, FL $4,290

Chicago, IL costs about 36% more than Middleburg, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Middleburg, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Middleburg, FL by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$14.94 $14.94

38.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$35.54 $35.54

153.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$8.74 $8.74

48.05%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$2.94 $2.94

90.48%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.48 $1.48

78.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.27 $1.27

78.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.88 $5.88

18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.77 $7.77

13.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.80 $0.80

58.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.48 $1.48

156.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.90 $1.90

178.95%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.40 $3.40

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$8.30 $8.30

68.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$7.10 $7.10

105.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$15.01 $15.01

25.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.14 $3.14

65.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.93 $0.93

112.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.50 $2.50

57.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.74 $2.74

81.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.46 $2.46

12.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.41 $2.41

14.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.97 $1.97

12.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.67 $1.67

78.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$7.20 $7.20

94.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$9.06 $9.06

68.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.84 $1.84

40.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.38 $1.38

153.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.96 $1.96

26.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$64.0 $64.0

16.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.89 $2.89

15.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.70 $0.70

104.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$34.85 $34.85

-30.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.94 $0.94

34.04%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$21.7K $21.7K

61.51%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.7K $23.7K

10.15%

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

$193 $193

$95.6 $95.6

101.48%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$49.77 $49.77

37.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$58.9 $58.9

4.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$41.52 $41.52

30.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$15.21 $15.21

83.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.22 $12.22

45.17%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$577 $577

186.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$21.5K $21.5K

44.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$44.10 $44.10

49.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.73 $40.73

25.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$92.0 $92.0

8.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$120 $120

17.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,683 $1,683

45.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,322 $1,322

26.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,524 $2,524

86.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,164 $2,164

29.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,059 $3,059

34.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,443 $2,443

8.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$5,592 $5,592

-12.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.75

0.89%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Middleburg, FL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Middleburg, FL

$1.3K 57.3% 21.2% $356

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Middleburg, FL

$265 11.5% 41.1% $185

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Middleburg, FL

$237 10.3% 31% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Middleburg, FL

$204 8.9% 36.6% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Middleburg, FL

$134 5.8% 17.1% $28

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Middleburg, FL

$78 3.4% 17.7% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Middleburg, FL

$66 2.9% 26.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,683 in Middleburg, 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 15% higher in Middleburg, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $36.00 in Middleburg, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $265 – making Middleburg, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Middleburg, FL

🕒 Local time

08:59 8:59 AM

09:59 9:59 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

14,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Middleburg, FL 1,410 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,305 in Middleburg, FL – roughly 36% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,458 in Middleburg, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Middleburg, FL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $36.00 in Middleburg, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,305 in Middleburg, 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 $2,305 in Middleburg, FL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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