Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,242 in Stuart, FL, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Stuart, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
157

Cost of Living Index in Stuart, FL
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Stuart, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Stuart, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,242

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,242 in Stuart, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Stuart, FL $3,242

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,428 in Stuart, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Stuart, FL $4,428

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,614 in Stuart, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Stuart, FL $5,614

Chicago, IL is about 6% cheaper than Stuart, FL.

Both Chicago, IL and Stuart, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Stuart, FL by 138%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.21 $20.21

2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$61.0 $61.0

46.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.00 $10.00

31.90%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.70 $4.70

20.43%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.01 $3.01

-12.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.14 $7.14

-3.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.79 $6.79

30.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.27 $1.27

-1.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.96 $3.96

-6.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.26 $4.26

26.53%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.19 $5.19

-8.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$16.29 $16.29

-15.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$14.53 $14.53

-0.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$11.63 $11.63

58.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.29 $5.29

-1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.66 $1.66

19.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.69 $3.69

10.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.42 $4.42

12.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.07 $2.07

28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.26 $3.26

-18.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.31 $2.31

-3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.05 $2.05

52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.44 $9.44

46.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.16 $13.16

13.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.39 $2.39

6.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.10 $3.10

13.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.01 $3.01

5.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.00 $2.00

-30.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.80 $23.80

5.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.86 $0.86

39.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.1K $35.1K

-0.19%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.7K $24.7K

8.15%

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

$194 $194

$166 $166

17.01%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$40.46 $40.46

71.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$55.8 $55.8

10.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$29.01 $29.01

65.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.55 $11.55

54.20%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,835 $1,835

-2.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$39.7K $39.7K

-19.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$27.10 $27.10

147.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$39.92 $39.92

30.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$72.6 $72.6

39.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$90.4 $90.4

58.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,518 $2,518

0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$2,081 $2,081

-24.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$4,098 $4,098

15.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,060 $3,060

-12.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$3,281 $3,281

27.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,209 $3,209

-13.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,823 $3,823

28.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.77

18.02%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Stuart, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Stuart, FL

$2.1K 64.2% 31.9% $503

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Stuart, FL

$411 12.7% 8.2% $37

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Stuart, FL

$319 9.8% 7.6% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Stuart, FL

$262 8.1% 19.4% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Stuart, FL

$104 3.2% 36.9% $60

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Stuart, FL

$13 * 0.4% 86% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Stuart, FL

$52 1.6% 37.6% $31

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,518 in Stuart, 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 29% 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 $61 in Stuart, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $411 – making Stuart, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Stuart, FL

🕒 Local time

20:21 8:21 PM

21:21 9:21 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

16,155

💱 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 Stuart, FL 1,760 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,863 in Stuart, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $2,518 in Stuart, FL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $61 in Stuart, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Stuart, FL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,242 in Stuart, 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 $3,242 in Stuart, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.