Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Tallahassee, FL: $2,675 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Tallahassee, FL
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Tallahassee, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Tallahassee, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,675

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,675 in Tallahassee, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Tallahassee, FL $2,675

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,877 in Tallahassee, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Tallahassee, FL $3,877

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,079 in Tallahassee, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Tallahassee, FL $5,079

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than Tallahassee, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Tallahassee, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Tallahassee, FL by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$26.17 $26.17

-21.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$80.0 $80.0

12.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.07 $12.07

7.21%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.38 $5.38

4.09%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.75 $2.75

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.09 $2.09

8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.95 $4.95

41.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.96 $6.96

26.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.01 $1.01

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.61 $3.61

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.04 $2.04

159.80%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.91 $2.91

63.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.19 $11.19

24.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.24 $10.24

42.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$14.03 $14.03

33.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.14 $4.14

25.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.27 $4.27

-7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.63 $4.63

7.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.80 $3.80

-27.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.56 $3.56

-22.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.67 $1.67

32.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.16 $2.16

37.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.38 $9.38

49.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.63 $14.63

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.85 $1.85

39.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.05 $2.05

70.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.24 $1.24

99.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$38.57 $38.57

93.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.53 $2.53

32.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.48 $1.48

-3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$28.45 $28.45

-14.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.95 $0.95

32.63%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.0K $30.0K

16.62%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

-0.15%

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

$193 $193

$175 $175

10.41%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$50.4 $50.4

35.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$65.9 $65.9

-6.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$23.43 $23.43

130.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$13.26 $13.26

110.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.71 $14.71

20.60%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$985 $985

67.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$13.8K $13.8K

125.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$59.5 $59.5

11.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$35.43 $35.43

44.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$97.7 $97.7

2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$109 $109

29.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,574 $1,574

55.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,417 $1,417

18.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,644 $2,644

78.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,232 $2,232

25.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,294 $2,294

78.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,971 $1,971

34.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,807 $3,807

27.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.42

6.07%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tallahassee, FL: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Tallahassee, FL

$1.4K 53% 15.5% $261

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Tallahassee, FL

$357 13.4% 20.6% $92

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Tallahassee, FL

$368 13.8% 7.2% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Tallahassee, FL

$291 10.9% 9.8% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Tallahassee, FL

$136 5.1% 15.9% $26

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Tallahassee, FL

$53 2% 43.8% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Tallahassee, FL

$53 2% 41% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,574 in Tallahassee, 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 28% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $80.0 in Tallahassee, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $357 – making Tallahassee, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Tallahassee, FL

🕒 Local time

01:01 1:01 AM

02:01 2:01 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

186,411

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Tallahassee, FL 1,310 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,675 in Tallahassee, FL – roughly 17% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,013 in Tallahassee, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tallahassee, FL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $80.0 in Tallahassee, 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 $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,675 in Tallahassee, 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 $2,675 in Tallahassee, FL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Tallahassee, FL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.