Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Key West, FL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Chicago, IL: $3,185 a month against $4,808 in Key West, FL, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Key West, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

233

Cost of Living Index in Key West, FL
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Key West, FL Living Index
153

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

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Key West, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$4,808

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,808 per month in Key West, FL vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Key West, FL $4,808
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $7,043 per month in Key West, FL vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Key West, FL $7,043
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $9,278 per month in Key West, FL vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Key West, FL $9,278
Chicago, IL $6,077

Key West, FL costs about 51% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Key West, FL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Key West, FL by 256%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.31 $22.31

$21.58 $21.58

3.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.3 $98.3

$88.7 $88.7

10.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$13.20 $13.20

-10.08%

Cappuccino

$4.56 $4.56

$5.59 $5.59

-18.43%

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

$2.26 $2.26

$2.63 $2.63

-14.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.26 $2.26

-15.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$7.11 $7.11

-17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$9.23 $9.23

-25.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.28 $1.28

-22.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.84 $3.84

-4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.07 $5.07

32.94%

Eggs

$5.16 $5.16

$4.84 $4.84

6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 $11.61

$14.17 $14.17

-18.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$14.61 $14.61

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.97 $23.97

$18.76 $18.76

27.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$5.19 $5.19

-7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.00 $2.00

-7.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$4.00 $4.00

-8.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$4.98 $4.98

3.82%

Potato (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.79 $2.79

112.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.65 $2.65

25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.13 $2.13

69.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.09 $3.09

-14.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 $8.18

$16.05 $16.05

-49.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 $14.18

$15.20 $15.20

-6.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.62 $2.62

-24.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.46 $3.46

-31.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.47 $2.47

61.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$3.21 $3.21

21.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.39 $1.39

124.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.20 $30.20

$25.02 $25.02

20.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.24 $1.24

-26.61%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.88%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

0.07%

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

$215 $215

$192 $192

11.88%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$67.8 $67.8

-19.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$60.9 $60.9

20.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$53.6 $53.6

48.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$17.80 $17.80

-21.07%

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

$1,090 $1,090

$1,554 $1,554

-29.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K $20.7K

$31.4K $31.4K

-33.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.58 $47.58

$67.9 $67.9

-29.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.78 $41.78

$50.8 $50.8

-17.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 $71.7

$101 $101

-29.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 $69.1

$143 $143

-51.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,436 $3,436

$2,383 $2,383

44.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,432 $3,432

$1,712 $1,712

100.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$7,122 $7,122

$4,674 $4,674

52.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$6,144 $6,144

$2,738 $2,738

124.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,644 $9,644

$4,158 $4,158

131.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,886 $9,886

$2,691 $2,691

267.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,967 $5,967

$4,894 $4,894

21.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.77

-5.76%

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

Last update for Key West, FL: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Key West, FL

$3.4K 71.4%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 50.1% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Key West, FL

$457 9.5%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 1.3% $6.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Key West, FL

$343 7.1%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 6.4% $22

Eating Out

Key West, FL

$328 6.8%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 7.5% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Key West, FL

$108 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 17.2% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Key West, FL

$104 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 57.8% $60

Getting Around

Key West, FL

$35 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 168% $60

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,436 in Key West, FL versus $2,383 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 22% higher in Key West, FL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Key West, FL versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $451 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Key West, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:05 6:05 PM

17:05 5:05 PM

1 h behind Key West, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,684

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Key West, FL Chicago, IL 2,000 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Key West, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,808 in Key West, FL, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 51% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,211 per month in Key West, FL and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Key West, FL and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Key West, FL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,808 in Key West, FL and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. 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 $3,185 in Chicago, IL to $4,808 in Key West, FL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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