Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Pembroke Pines, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,533 in Pembroke Pines, FL, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pembroke Pines, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Pembroke Pines, FL
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Pembroke Pines, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Pembroke Pines, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,533

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,533 in Pembroke Pines, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Pembroke Pines, FL $3,533

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,922 in Pembroke Pines, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Pembroke Pines, FL $4,922

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,310 in Pembroke Pines, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Pembroke Pines, FL $6,310

Chicago, IL is about 14% cheaper than Pembroke Pines, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Pembroke Pines, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Pembroke Pines, FL by 160%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$30.52 $30.52

-32.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$94.2 $94.2

-5.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$14.91 $14.91

-11.54%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.36 $5.36

5.60%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.55 $2.55

3.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.08 $2.08

9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.94 $5.94

15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.92 $6.92

27.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.03 $1.03

21.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.14 $3.14

18.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.24 $3.24

66.36%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.60 $4.60

3.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.14 $13.14

5.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.29 $12.29

17.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.86 $19.86

-7.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.77 $4.77

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.00 $2.00

-1.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.03 $4.03

0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.62 $5.62

-11.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.84 $2.84

-5.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.18 $3.18

-16.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.61 $2.61

-14.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.79 $1.79

74.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.16 $9.16

50.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.12 $13.12

13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.01 $3.01

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.10 $2.10

67.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.97 $2.97

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$45.68 $45.68

60.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.09 $4.09

-22.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.88 $1.88

-26.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$24.29 $24.29

3.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.86%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.71%

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

$194 $194

$224 $224

-13.09%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$66.7 $66.7

4.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$81.7 $81.7

-24.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$28.65 $28.65

67.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.40 $13.40

32.91%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,026 $1,026

74.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$41.7K $41.7K

-23.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$47.68 $47.68

40.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.33 $41.33

26.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$108 $108

-5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$115 $115

24.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,146 $2,146

17.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,073 $2,073

-23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,082 $3,082

53.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,035 $3,035

-11.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,452 $2,452

70.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,517 $3,517

-21.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,344 $4,344

13.50%

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 Pembroke Pines, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Pembroke Pines, FL

$2.1K 58.7% 31.4% $495

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Pembroke Pines, FL

$406 11.5% 9.3% $42

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Pembroke Pines, FL

$415 11.8% 20.4% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Pembroke Pines, FL

$372 10.5% 14.3% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Pembroke Pines, FL

$140 4% 14.4% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Pembroke Pines, FL

$71 2% 23.9% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Pembroke Pines, FL

$55 1.6% 33.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,146 in Pembroke Pines, 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 13% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $94 in Pembroke Pines, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $406 in Pembroke Pines, FL – so Pembroke Pines, FL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Pembroke Pines, FL

🕒 Local time

17:14 5:14 PM

18:14 6:14 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

150,064

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Pembroke Pines, FL 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,533 in Pembroke Pines, FL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $5,300 in Pembroke Pines, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pembroke Pines, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,146 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Pembroke Pines, FL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

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

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,533 in Pembroke Pines, 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 $3,533 in Pembroke Pines, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.