Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Chicago, IL and in Tampa, FL: $3,037 and $3,029 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in Tampa, FL
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Tampa, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,029

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,029 in Tampa, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Tampa, FL $3,029

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,461 in Tampa, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Tampa, FL $4,461

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,893 in Tampa, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Tampa, FL $5,893

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.72 $19.72

5.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.1 $76.1

17.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.21 $12.21

8.03%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.78 $5.78

-2.08%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.15 $3.15

-16.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.37 $2.37

-3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$7.06 $7.06

-2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.86 $8.86

-0.23%

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

$4.99 $4.99

8.02%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.55 $3.55

33.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.16 $14.16

-2.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.23 $11.23

28.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$20.68 $20.68

-11.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.58 $5.58

-6.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.77 $1.77

11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.33 $3.33

21.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.80 $3.80

30.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.57 $2.57

3.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.08 $3.08

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.45 $2.45

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.39 $2.39

30.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.31 $9.31

48.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.73 $14.73

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.60 $2.60

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.40 $5.40

-35.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.04 $2.04

19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$65.2 $65.2

12.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.54 $2.54

25.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.52 $1.52

-8.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$19.99 $19.99

25.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.03 $1.03

16.50%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$32.9K $32.9K

6.46%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.12%

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

$194 $194

$209 $209

-6.97%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$72.3 $72.3

-3.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$77.0 $77.0

-19.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$45.66 $45.66

4.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$20.76 $20.76

31.70%

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

$1,451 $1,451

23.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$22.0K $22.0K

44.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.4 $55.4

20.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.36 $44.36

17.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$88.9 $88.9

14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$120 $120

19.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,202 $2,202

14.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,608 $1,608

-1.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$3,835 $3,835

23.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,781 $2,781

-3.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$6,140 $6,140

-31.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,270 $2,270

21.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,639 $4,639

6.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.4

6.41%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tampa, FL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Tampa, FL

$1.6K 53.1% 1.9% $30

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Tampa, FL

$424 14% 5.3% $24

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Tampa, FL

$339 11.2% 1.8% $6.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Tampa, FL

$358 11.8% 10.1% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Tampa, FL

$139 4.6% 15.3% $25

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Tampa, FL

$84 2.8% 10.5% $9.8

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Tampa, FL

$77 2.6% 7.6% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,202 in Tampa, 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 6% 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 $76 in Tampa, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $424 – making Tampa, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Tampa, FL

🕒 Local time

22:06 10:06 PM

23:06 11:06 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

332,888

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Tampa, FL 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,543 in Tampa, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tampa, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,202 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in Tampa, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Tampa, FL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,029 in Tampa, FL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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