Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Clearwater, FL and in Chicago, IL: $2,966 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

143

Cost of Living Index in Clearwater, FL
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Clearwater, FL Living Index
147

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

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Clearwater, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,966

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Clearwater, FL and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Clearwater, FL and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,966 per month in Clearwater, FL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Clearwater, FL $2,966
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,418 per month in Clearwater, FL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Clearwater, FL $4,418
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,870 per month in Clearwater, FL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Clearwater, FL $5,870
Chicago, IL $5,999

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

Both Clearwater, FL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Clearwater, FL by 118%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.13 $17.13

$20.71 $20.71

-17.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 $68.5

$89.2 $89.2

-23.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.70 $11.70

$13.19 $13.19

-11.30%

Cappuccino

$4.94 $4.94

$5.66 $5.66

-12.72%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$2.64 $2.64

-14.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.28 $2.28

-20.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 $5.48

$6.87 $6.87

-20.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 $8.07

$8.84 $8.84

-8.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.25 $1.25

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.72 $3.72

0.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$5.39 $5.39

-18.00%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$4.74 $4.74

-14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$13.84 $13.84

-21.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.43 $14.43

$14.40 $14.40

0.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.67 $19.67

$18.38 $18.38

7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$5.22 $5.22

24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.98 $1.98

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$4.06 $4.06

49.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$4.97 $4.97

23.94%

Potato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.67 $2.67

74.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.66 $2.66

45.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.24 $2.24

15.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.13 $3.13

-14.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.10 $9.10

$13.82 $13.82

-34.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.81 $16.81

$14.88 $14.88

12.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.54 $2.54

-28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$3.51 $3.51

31.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.43 $2.43

20.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.7 $80.7

$73.5 $73.5

9.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.18 $3.18

4.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.39 $1.39

-52.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.2 $61.2

$25.03 $25.03

144.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.20 $1.20

-19.17%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.77%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.29%

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

$249 $249

$194 $194

28.21%

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

$55.4 $55.4

$69.5 $69.5

-20.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 $75.7

$61.6 $61.6

22.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.23 $37.23

$47.90 $47.90

-22.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.09 $25.09

$27.34 $27.34

-8.23%

Cinema Ticket

$16.03 $16.03

$17.81 $17.81

-9.99%

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

$1,252 $1,252

$1,794 $1,794

-30.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K $25.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-20.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.3 $75.3

$67.0 $67.0

12.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 $54.4

$52.1 $52.1

4.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$102 $102

6.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$144 $144

-2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,973 $1,973

$2,526 $2,526

-21.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,499 $1,499

$1,578 $1,578

-5.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,204 $3,204

$4,738 $4,738

-32.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,708 $2,708

$2,693 $2,693

0.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,115 $3,115

$4,190 $4,190

-25.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 $2,528

$2,768 $2,768

-8.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,695 $3,695

$4,931 $4,931

-25.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.81

-3.23%

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

Last update for Clearwater, FL: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Clearwater, FL

$1.5K 50.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 5.3% $79

Groceries & Markets

Clearwater, FL

$457 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 2.2% $9.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Clearwater, FL

$380 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 14.4% $55

Eating Out

Clearwater, FL

$291 9.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 18.4% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Clearwater, FL

$170 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 3.6% $6

Getting Around

Clearwater, FL

$99 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 5.7% $5.7

Sport & Entertainment

Clearwater, FL

$69 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 20.5% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,973 in Clearwater, FL versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. 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 33% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Clearwater, FL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $457 in Clearwater, FL vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Clearwater, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

23:05 11:05 PM

22:05 10:05 PM

1 h behind Clearwater, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

107,742

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Clearwater, FL Chicago, IL 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Clearwater, FL
Chicago, IL

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,450 per month in Clearwater, FL and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Clearwater, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,973 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,252 per month in Clearwater, FL and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Chicago, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,966 in Clearwater, FL and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Clearwater, 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 Clearwater, 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.