Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Orlando, FL: $2,894 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Orlando, FL
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Orlando, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Orlando, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,894

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,894 in Orlando, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Orlando, FL $2,894

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,197 in Orlando, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Orlando, FL $4,197

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,500 in Orlando, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Orlando, FL $5,500

Chicago, IL costs about 5% more than Orlando, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chicago, IL and Orlando, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Orlando, FL by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.83 $20.83

-0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$81.1 $81.1

10.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.84 $12.84

2.73%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.38 $5.38

5.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$4.01 $4.01

-34.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.79 $2.79

-18.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.96 $5.96

15.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.96 $7.96

11.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.15 $1.15

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.88 $3.88

-4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.47 $4.47

20.58%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.51 $3.51

35.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.05 $12.05

14.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.82 $10.82

33.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.64 $18.64

-1.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.92 $5.92

-11.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.05 $2.05

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.24 $5.24

-22.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.71 $4.71

5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.76 $3.76

-28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.31 $3.31

-19.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.59 $2.59

-13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.46 $2.46

27.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.37 $9.37

47.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.15 $15.15

-1.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.39 $3.39

-25.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.62 $3.62

-3.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.01 $2.01

20.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$50.8 $50.8

44.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.95 $2.95

7.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.91 $1.91

-27.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$35.14 $35.14

-28.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.09 $1.09

10.09%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.7K $36.7K

-4.49%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.0K $27.0K

-1.29%

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

$194 $194

$200 $200

-2.89%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$63.4 $63.4

9.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.4 $76.4

-19.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$33.18 $33.18

44.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$14.73 $14.73

85.61%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$16.46 $16.46

8.20%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,616 $1,616

11.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.2K $21.2K

50.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$64.5 $64.5

3.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.26 $40.26

29.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$92.7 $92.7

9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$117 $117

22.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,988 $1,988

27.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,505 $1,505

4.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,075 $3,075

54.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,423 $2,423

11.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,111 $3,111

34.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,607 $2,607

6.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,591 $4,591

7.40%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Orlando, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Orlando, FL

$1.5K 52% 4.6% $73

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Orlando, FL

$427 14.8% 4.5% $20

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Orlando, FL

$343 11.8% 0.7% $2.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Orlando, FL

$340 11.8% 4.5% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Orlando, FL

$142 4.9% 13.6% $22

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Orlando, FL

$71 2.5% 23.6% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Orlando, FL

$66 2.3% 20.9% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,988 in Orlando, 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 7% 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 $81 in Orlando, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $427 – making Orlando, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Orlando, FL

🕒 Local time

20:16 8:16 PM

21:16 9:16 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

307,573

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Orlando, FL 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,894 in Orlando, FL – Orlando, FL comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,341 in Orlando, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Orlando, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,988 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $81 in Orlando, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Orlando, 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 Orlando, 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.