Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Plantation, FL: $2,620 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
127

Cost of Living Index in Plantation, FL
Learn more

Plantation, FL Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Plantation, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,620

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,620 in Plantation, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Plantation, FL $2,620

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,844 in Plantation, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Plantation, FL $3,844

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,068 in Plantation, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Plantation, FL $5,068

Chicago, IL costs about 16% more than Plantation, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Plantation, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Plantation, FL by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.04 $19.04

8.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$75.7 $75.7

17.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.83 $10.83

21.79%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.93 $4.93

14.81%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.60 $2.60

1.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.97 $1.97

15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.85 $5.85

17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.91 $6.91

27.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.52 $3.52

5.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.43 $4.43

21.67%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.11 $4.11

15.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.04 $12.04

14.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.54 $11.54

24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.61 $15.61

17.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.81 $4.81

8.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.56 $1.56

26.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.23 $4.23

-4.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.63 $4.63

7.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.79 $2.79

-4.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.80 $2.80

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.09 $2.09

7.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.11 $2.11

48.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.66 $9.66

43.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.27 $14.27

4.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.84 $1.84

38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.45 $3.45

1.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$55.4 $55.4

32.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.59 $3.59

-11.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.58 $1.58

-12.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.64 $29.64

-15.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.89 $0.89

34.83%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

19.92%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.28%

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

$194 $194

$191 $191

2.04%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$53.5 $53.5

29.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$67.3 $67.3

-8.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$43.27 $43.27

10.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.75 $13.75

29.53%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,313 $1,313

36.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.4K $23.4K

36.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.8 $50.8

31.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.41 $40.41

29.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$88.0 $88.0

15.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$110 $110

30.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,604 $1,604

57.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,341 $1,341

17.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,631 $2,631

80.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,240 $2,240

20.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,737 $2,737

53.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,480 $2,480

11.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.51

4.61%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Plantation, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Plantation, FL

$1.3K 51.2% 15% $237

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Plantation, FL

$386 14.7% 13.8% $62

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Plantation, FL

$305 11.7% 11.5% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Plantation, FL

$311 11.9% 4.4% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Plantation, FL

$130 5% 20.7% $34

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Plantation, FL

$75 2.9% 19.6% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Plantation, FL

$71 2.7% 15.3% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,604 in Plantation, 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 $76 in Plantation, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $386 – making Plantation, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Plantation, FL

🕒 Local time

09:03 9:03 AM

10:03 10:03 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

85,938

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Plantation, FL 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,620 in Plantation, FL – roughly 16% 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 $3,930 in Plantation, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Plantation, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,604 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $76 in Plantation, 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 $2,620 in Plantation, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Plantation, FL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 16% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.