Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and West Palm Beach, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,037 a month against $3,217 in West Palm Beach, FL, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in West Palm Beach, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
155

Cost of Living Index in West Palm Beach, FL
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West Palm Beach, FL Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

West Palm Beach, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,217

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,217 in West Palm Beach, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
West Palm Beach, FL $3,217

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,825 in West Palm Beach, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
West Palm Beach, FL $4,825

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $6,433 in West Palm Beach, FL, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
West Palm Beach, FL $6,433

Chicago, IL is about 6% cheaper than West Palm Beach, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Chicago, IL and West Palm Beach, FL sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, West Palm Beach, FL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$21.09 $21.09

-1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$81.1 $81.1

10.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.97 $11.97

10.19%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.40 $5.40

4.81%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.45 $2.45

7.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.84 $1.84

23.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.82 $5.82

18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.15 $8.15

8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.06 $1.06

17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.08 $3.08

20.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.36 $3.36

60.42%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.56 $3.56

33.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.21 $12.21

13.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.08 $11.08

29.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.16 $18.16

1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.78 $4.78

9.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.72 $1.72

15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.94 $2.94

38.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.70 $4.70

5.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.12 $3.12

-14.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.33 $3.33

-20.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.60 $2.60

-13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.41 $2.41

29.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.53 $9.53

45.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.87 $12.87

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.72 $1.72

47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.72 $3.72

-5.65%

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

$68.8 $68.8

6.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.94 $2.94

8.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.85 $1.85

-24.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$34.88 $34.88

-28.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.00 $1.00

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.84%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.53%

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

$194 $194

$201 $201

-3.49%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$63.9 $63.9

8.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$76.2 $76.2

-19.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.67 $41.67

14.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$24.98 $24.98

9.45%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.10 $10.10

76.34%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,488 $1,488

20.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.4K $21.4K

49.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$63.9 $63.9

4.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.88 $40.88

27.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$95.0 $95.0

6.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$110 $110

30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$2,624 $2,624

-3.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,870 $1,870

-15.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$5,348 $5,348

-11.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$3,427 $3,427

-21.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$5,343 $5,343

-21.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,324 $3,324

-16.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,976 $3,976

24.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.56

3.81%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for West Palm Beach, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

West Palm Beach, FL

$1.9K 58.2% 18.5% $292

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

West Palm Beach, FL

$382 11.9% 14.6% $65

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

West Palm Beach, FL

$332 10.3% 3.7% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

West Palm Beach, FL

$342 10.6% 4.9% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

West Palm Beach, FL

$140 4.3% 14.9% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

West Palm Beach, FL

$89 2.8% 4.6% $4.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

West Palm Beach, FL

$62 1.9% 25.9% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $2,624 in West Palm Beach, 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 24% 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 $81 in West Palm Beach, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $382 – making West Palm Beach, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 West Palm Beach, FL

🕒 Local time

18:53 6:53 PM

19:53 7:53 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

117,415

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL West Palm Beach, FL 1,820 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
West Palm Beach, 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 West Palm Beach, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $3,217 in West Palm Beach, FL – Chicago, IL comes out roughly 6% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,825 in West Palm Beach, 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 $2,624 in West Palm Beach, FL. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in West Palm Beach, FL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $81 in West Palm Beach, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $3,217 in West Palm Beach, 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 $3,217 in West Palm Beach, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.