Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Destin, Fl and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Destin, Fl: $2,414 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

116

Cost of Living Index in Destin, Fl
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Destin, Fl Living Index
146

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

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Destin, Fl

🇺🇸 United States

$2,414

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,414 per month in Destin, Fl vs $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Destin, Fl $2,414
Chicago, IL $3,072

A couple spends around $3,546 per month in Destin, Fl vs $4,545 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Destin, Fl $3,546
Chicago, IL $4,545

A family of three spends $4,679 per month in Destin, Fl vs $6,019 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Destin, Fl $4,679
Chicago, IL $6,019

Destin, Fl is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Destin, Fl and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Destin, Fl by 79%, Chicago, IL by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.20 $17.20

$20.39 $20.39

-15.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.2 $80.2

$88.6 $88.6

-9.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 $10.37

$12.85 $12.85

-19.30%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$5.78 $5.78

-15.74%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.74 $2.74

-3.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.26 $2.26

-8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$6.88 $6.88

-29.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 $5.98

$9.24 $9.24

-35.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.26 $1.26

-26.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.55 $3.55

-4.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$5.38 $5.38

-63.20%

Eggs

$3.01 $3.01

$4.55 $4.55

-33.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 $9.03

$13.65 $13.65

-33.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.94 $7.94

$14.07 $14.07

-43.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$18.06 $18.06

-33.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$5.16 $5.16

-19.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.98 $1.98

-35.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.88 $3.88

-6.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.83 $4.83

-7.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.81 $2.81

-15.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.67 $2.67

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.07 $2.07

-18.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$3.03 $3.03

-51.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.91 $8.91

$13.90 $13.90

-35.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$15.05 $15.05

-0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.63 $2.63

-44.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.45 $3.45

-43.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.43 $2.43

-16.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$75.3 $75.3

-18.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.17 $3.17

-19.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.70 $1.70

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 $28.62

$24.90 $24.90

14.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.28 $1.28

-22.66%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$35.8K $35.8K

-31.79%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$26.8K $26.8K

-9.65%

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

$169 $169

$192 $192

-11.85%

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

$49.34 $49.34

$69.6 $69.6

-29.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 $57.4

$62.2 $62.2

-7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.67 $40.67

$47.79 $47.79

-14.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 $12.24

$17.83 $17.83

-31.35%

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

$883 $883

$1,815 $1,815

-51.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K $13.9K

$40.6K $40.6K

-65.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 $61.1

$66.2 $66.2

-7.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.54 $29.54

$51.4 $51.4

-42.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 $90.9

$103 $103

-12.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$143 $143

-24.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,264 $2,264

$2,531 $2,531

-10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$1,621 $1,621

-21.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,520 $2,520

$4,828 $4,828

-47.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 $2,095

$2,734 $2,734

-23.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,910 $4,910

$4,163 $4,163

17.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,914 $4,914

$2,723 $2,723

80.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,310 $3,310

$4,924 $4,924

-32.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.78

-5.31%

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

Last update for Destin, Fl: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Destin, Fl

$1.3K 52.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 27.5% $349

Groceries & Markets

Destin, Fl

$309 12.8%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 42.2% $130

Eating Out

Destin, Fl

$282 11.7%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 21.8% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Destin, Fl

$276 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 17.3% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Destin, Fl

$130 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 25.7% $33

Getting Around

Destin, Fl

$79 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 21.8% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Destin, Fl

$65 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 28.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,264 in Destin, Fl versus $2,531 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 49% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Destin, Fl versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 vs $439 – making Destin, Fl the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Destin, Fl

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:50 9:50 AM

Same time as Destin, Fl

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,305

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Destin, Fl Chicago, IL 1,280 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Destin, 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

Destin, Fl vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,414 in Destin, Fl, $3,072 in Chicago, IL – Destin, Fl comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,620 per month in Destin, Fl and $4,608 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Destin, Fl, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,264 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Destin, Fl and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Destin, Fl, where all-in costs run around $2,414, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Destin, Fl it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Destin, 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 Destin, 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.