Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Worth, FL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Lake Worth, FL: $2,542 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Lake Worth, FL
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Lake Worth, FL Living Index
147

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

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Lake Worth, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,542

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,542 per month in Lake Worth, FL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lake Worth, FL $2,542
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,794 per month in Lake Worth, FL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lake Worth, FL $3,794
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,045 per month in Lake Worth, FL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Lake Worth, FL $5,045
Chicago, IL $5,999

Lake Worth, FL is about 16% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lake Worth, FL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Lake Worth, FL by 87%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.04 $25.04

$20.71 $20.71

20.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 $75.5

$89.2 $89.2

-15.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$13.19 $13.19

-23.58%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$5.66 $5.66

-12.19%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$2.64 $2.64

-4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.28 $2.28

-17.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.87 $6.87

-22.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.67 $7.67

$8.84 $8.84

-13.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.25 $1.25

-31.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.72 $3.72

-16.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$5.39 $5.39

-43.41%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$4.74 $4.74

-4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$13.84 $13.84

-3.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$14.40 $14.40

-23.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$18.38 $18.38

-20.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$5.22 $5.22

-10.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.98 $1.98

-20.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$4.06 $4.06

-26.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$4.97 $4.97

10.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.67 $2.67

12.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.66 $2.66

24.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.24 $2.24

-0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.13 $3.13

-21.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.14 $9.14

$13.82 $13.82

-33.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 $12.76

$14.88 $14.88

-14.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.54 $2.54

-29.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.51 $3.51

-6.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.43 $2.43

-9.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 $52.4

$73.5 $73.5

-28.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.18 $3.18

-4.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.39 $1.39

33.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.95 $32.95

$25.03 $25.03

31.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.20 $1.20

-17.50%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-18.99%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.52%

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

$173 $173

$194 $194

-11.26%

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

$57.8 $57.8

$69.5 $69.5

-16.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$61.6 $61.6

23.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.43 $35.43

$47.90 $47.90

-26.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 $10.17

$17.81 $17.81

-42.90%

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

$900 $900

$1,794 $1,794

-49.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K $20.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-34.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 $65.5

$67.0 $67.0

-2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.51 $41.51

$52.1 $52.1

-20.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$102 $102

15.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$144 $144

-29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$2,526 $2,526

-35.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,234 $1,234

$1,578 $1,578

-21.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,425 $2,425

$4,738 $4,738

-48.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,128 $2,128

$2,693 $2,693

-20.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,638 $2,638

$4,190 $4,190

-37.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,528 $2,528

$2,768 $2,768

-8.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,572 $7,572

$4,931 $4,931

53.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.81

-3.67%

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

Last update for Lake Worth, FL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lake Worth, FL

$1.2K 48.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 27.9% $344

Groceries & Markets

Lake Worth, FL

$377 14.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 18.7% $71

Eating Out

Lake Worth, FL

$350 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 1.3% $4.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lake Worth, FL

$307 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6.2% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Lake Worth, FL

$146 5.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 12.1% $18

Getting Around

Lake Worth, FL

$73 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 27.2% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Lake Worth, FL

$56 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 49.7% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lake Worth, 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 54% higher in Lake Worth, FL, 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 $76 in Lake Worth, FL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $447 – making Lake Worth, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lake Worth, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

20:00 8:00 PM

19:00 7:00 PM

1 h behind Lake Worth, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

42,000

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

Lake Worth, FL Chicago, IL 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lake Worth, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,542 in Lake Worth, FL, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Lake Worth, FL comes out roughly 16% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,814 per month in Lake Worth, 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 Lake Worth, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,633 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Lake Worth, FL and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,542 in Lake Worth, 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 Lake Worth, FL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Lake Worth, FL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 16% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.