Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence, SC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Florence, SC: $2,285 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Florence, SC
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Florence, SC Living Index
147

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

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Florence, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,285

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Florence, SC vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Florence, SC $2,285
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,220 per month in Florence, SC vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Florence, SC $3,220
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,156 per month in Florence, SC vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Florence, SC $4,156
Chicago, IL $5,999

Florence, SC is about 25% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Florence, SC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Florence, SC by 68%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.27 $15.27

$20.71 $20.71

-26.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 $63.7

$89.2 $89.2

-28.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$13.19 $13.19

-16.15%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$5.66 $5.66

-13.96%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$2.64 $2.64

-3.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.28 $2.28

-12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 $5.02

$6.87 $6.87

-26.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 $6.87

$8.84 $8.84

-22.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.25 $1.25

-18.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.72 $3.72

11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$5.39 $5.39

7.79%

Eggs

$5.32 $5.32

$4.74 $4.74

12.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 $11.54

$13.84 $13.84

-16.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.48 $14.48

$14.40 $14.40

0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.86 $24.86

$18.38 $18.38

35.26%

Apples (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$5.22 $5.22

28.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.98 $1.98

-12.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.01 $7.01

$4.06 $4.06

72.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$4.97 $4.97

23.54%

Potato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.67 $2.67

55.06%

Onion (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$2.66 $2.66

122.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.24 $2.24

2.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.13 $3.13

1.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.82 $8.82

$13.82 $13.82

-36.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$14.88 $14.88

-1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.54 $2.54

-22.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 $6.00

$3.51 $3.51

70.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 $7.04

$3.18 $3.18

121.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.39 $1.39

37.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.20 $1.20

-20.83%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.35%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.11%

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

$289 $289

$194 $194

48.47%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$69.5 $69.5

-19.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.71 $40.71

$61.6 $61.6

-33.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$17.81 $17.81

-14.26%

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

$1,344 $1,344

$1,794 $1,794

-25.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.44 $40.44

$67.0 $67.0

-39.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.16 $30.16

$52.1 $52.1

-42.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$102 $102

4.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 $71.2

$144 $144

-50.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 $981

$2,526 $2,526

-61.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$966 $966

$1,578 $1,578

-38.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 $1,512

$4,738 $4,738

-68.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$2,693 $2,693

-50.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,586 $1,586

$4,190 $4,190

-62.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,616 $1,616

$2,768 $2,768

-41.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,094 $3,094

$4,931 $4,931

-37.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Florence, SC: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Florence, SC

$967 42.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 63.3% $612

Groceries & Markets

Florence, SC

$503 22%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 11.1% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Florence, SC

$385 16.9%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 15.6% $60

Eating Out

Florence, SC

$271 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 27.4% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Florence, SC

$112 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 46.9% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Florence, SC

$31 * 1.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 174% $53

Getting Around

Florence, SC

$17 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 463% $77

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $981 in Florence, SC 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 59% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Florence, SC versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $503 in Florence, SC vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Florence, SC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:50 8:50 AM

07:50 7:50 AM

1 h behind Florence, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,184

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Florence, SC Chicago, IL 1,100 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Florence, SC
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

Florence, SC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,285 in Florence, SC, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Florence, SC comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,427 per month in Florence, SC 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 Florence, SC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $981 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Florence, SC and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,285 in Florence, SC 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 Florence, SC – 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 Florence, SC. 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.