Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Safety Harbor, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Safety Harbor, FL: $2,624 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
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Chicago, IL Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Safety Harbor, FL
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Safety Harbor, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Safety Harbor, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,624

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,624 in Safety Harbor, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Safety Harbor, FL $2,624

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,855 in Safety Harbor, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Safety Harbor, FL $3,855

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,086 in Safety Harbor, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Safety Harbor, FL $5,086

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

Both Chicago, IL and Safety Harbor, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Safety Harbor, FL by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.63 $19.63

5.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.3 $76.3

16.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.79 $11.79

11.87%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.63 $5.63

0.53%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.54 $2.54

3.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.88 $1.88

21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.83 $5.83

17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.45 $7.45

18.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.12 $1.12

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.28 $3.28

13.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.50 $3.50

54.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.53 $3.53

34.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.36 $12.36

11.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.09 $11.09

29.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.04 $19.04

-3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.37 $5.37

-2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.77 $1.77

11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.42 $3.42

18.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.13 $3.13

58.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.82 $1.82

46.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.94 $2.94

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.44 $2.44

-8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.16 $2.16

44.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.53 $9.53

45.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.25 $13.25

12.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.73 $1.73

46.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.13 $5.13

-31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.24 $2.24

8.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$51.1 $51.1

43.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.46 $2.46

29.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.53 $1.53

-9.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$19.76 $19.76

26.67%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

10.28%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.44%

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

$194 $194

$233 $233

-16.49%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$72.4 $72.4

-4.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$74.3 $74.3

-17.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.15 $40.15

19.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.77 $15.77

12.94%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,020 $1,020

75.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$18.1K $18.1K

76.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$37.13 $37.13

80.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$42.85 $42.85

21.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$87.9 $87.9

15.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$136 $136

5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,682 $1,682

50.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,263 $1,263

24.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,347 $2,347

101.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,133 $2,133

26.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,525 $2,525

65.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,184 $2,184

26.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.5

4.77%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Safety Harbor, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Safety Harbor, FL

$1.3K 48.1% 20% $315

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Safety Harbor, FL

$381 14.5% 14.8% $66

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Safety Harbor, FL

$322 12.3% 6.7% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Safety Harbor, FL

$380 14.5% 16.6% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Safety Harbor, FL

$137 5.2% 16.5% $27

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Safety Harbor, FL

$70 2.7% 24.9% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Safety Harbor, FL

$72 2.7% 14.2% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,682 in Safety Harbor, 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 Safety Harbor, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $381 – making Safety Harbor, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Safety Harbor, FL

🕒 Local time

13:04 1:04 PM

14:04 2:04 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

17,363

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Safety Harbor, FL 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,624 in Safety Harbor, 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 $3,936 in Safety Harbor, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Safety Harbor, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,682 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 Safety Harbor, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,624 in Safety Harbor, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Safety Harbor, 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.