Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Sarasota, FL: $3,072 and $3,100 a month, rent and utilities included.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
149

Cost of Living Index in Sarasota, FL
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Sarasota, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Sarasota, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,100

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,100 in Sarasota, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Sarasota, FL $3,100

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,631 in Sarasota, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Sarasota, FL $4,631

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,163 in Sarasota, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Sarasota, FL $6,163

Chicago, IL and Sarasota, FL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chicago, IL and Sarasota, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Sarasota, FL by 129%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$27.79 $27.79

-26.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$85.2 $85.2

4.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.01 $11.01

16.71%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.85 $5.85

-1.20%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$3.32 $3.32

-17.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.85 $2.85

-20.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.63 $5.63

22.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$7.07 $7.07

30.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.33 $1.33

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.12 $4.12

-13.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.77 $4.77

12.79%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.20 $4.20

8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$15.42 $15.42

-11.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$14.09 $14.09

-0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$22.63 $22.63

-20.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.89 $4.89

5.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.43 $1.43

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.75 $2.75

41.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.28 $6.28

-23.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$5.20 $5.20

-45.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.95 $2.95

-9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.19 $2.19

-5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.32 $2.32

30.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.12 $9.12

52.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$11.61 $11.61

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.17 $2.17

21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.20 $4.20

-17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.47 $1.47

65.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$50.8 $50.8

48.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.95 $0.95

34.74%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$37.2K $37.2K

-3.71%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

4.45%

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

$192 $192

$130 $130

47.75%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$44.84 $44.84

55.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$82.5 $82.5

-24.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$47.72 $47.72

0.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$13.76 $13.76

96.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$20.35 $20.35

-12.38%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$860 $860

111.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

88.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$62.8 $62.8

5.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$49.76 $49.76

3.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$116 $116

-10.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$156 $156

-8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$2,238 $2,238

13.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,681 $1,681

-3.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$5,873 $5,873

-17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,895 $2,895

-5.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$4,876 $4,876

-14.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,863 $2,863

-4.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,367 $4,367

12.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.35

6.77%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Sarasota, FL: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Sarasota, FL

$1.7K 54.2% 3.7% $60

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Sarasota, FL

$451 14.6% 2.7% $12

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Sarasota, FL

$393 12.7% 14.1% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Sarasota, FL

$257 8.3% 20.6% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Sarasota, FL

$173 5.6% 5.6% $9.2

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Sarasota, FL

$57 * 1.8% 41.4% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Sarasota, FL

$88 2.9% 6% $5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $2,238 in Sarasota, 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. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $85 in Sarasota, FL. Groceries tell a different story – $439 in Chicago, IL vs $451 in Sarasota, FL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Sarasota, FL

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

14:48 2:48 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

52,942

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Sarasota, FL 1,680 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,650 in Sarasota, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarasota, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,238 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $85 in Sarasota, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Sarasota, FL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $3,100 in Sarasota, 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL to $3,100 in Sarasota, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.