Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Milton, FL: $2,497 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Milton, FL
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Milton, FL Living Index
152

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

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Milton, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,497

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,497 per month in Milton, FL vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Milton, FL $2,497
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,607 per month in Milton, FL vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Milton, FL $3,607
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,717 per month in Milton, FL vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Milton, FL $4,717
Chicago, IL $6,115

Milton, FL is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Milton, FL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Milton, FL by 84%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.82 $9.82

$20.65 $20.65

-52.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$90.2 $90.2

11.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$12.94 $12.94

-23.49%

Cappuccino

$4.40 $4.40

$5.60 $5.60

-21.43%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$2.64 $2.64

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.27 $2.27

-4.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 $5.59

$6.98 $6.98

-19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$8.83 $8.83

-10.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.27 $1.27

2.36%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.80 $3.80

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$5.30 $5.30

7.55%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$4.76 $4.76

3.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$13.96 $13.96

-19.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.04 $10.04

$14.61 $14.61

-31.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.82 $15.82

$18.77 $18.77

-15.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.19 $5.19

2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$3.93 $3.93

35.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.96 $4.96

9.68%

Potato (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.76 $2.76

52.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.76 $2.76

15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.22 $2.22

-2.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.98 $2.98

-13.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 $7.37

$14.02 $14.02

-47.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$15.28 $15.28

-1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.58 $2.58

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.50 $3.50

15.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.47 $2.47

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.34 $3.34

2.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.43 $1.43

6.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.36 $34.36

$24.32 $24.32

41.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.26 $1.26

-26.19%

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

$33.2K $33.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-5.20%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.56%

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

$265 $265

$193 $193

37.47%

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

$72.2 $72.2

$68.3 $68.3

5.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$61.3 $61.3

17.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.90 $41.90

$54.1 $54.1

-22.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 $12.30

$17.74 $17.74

-30.67%

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

$1,594 $1,594

$1,652 $1,652

-3.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-66.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.87 $45.87

$66.1 $66.1

-30.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.73 $29.73

$51.2 $51.2

-41.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$100 $100

-13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$141 $141

-13.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$2,446 $2,446

-43.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 $1,227

$1,678 $1,678

-26.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,507 $2,507

$4,717 $4,717

-46.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 $1,873

$2,795 $2,795

-33.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,764 $2,764

$4,105 $4,105

-32.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,646 $2,646

$2,650 $2,650

-0.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.81

-2.20%

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

Last update for Milton, FL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Milton, FL

$1.2K 49.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 36.8% $451

Groceries & Markets

Milton, FL

$423 16.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 6.3% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Milton, FL

$409 16.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 21.3% $87

Eating Out

Milton, FL

$225 9%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 52.6% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Milton, FL

$128 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 26% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Milton, FL

$67 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 34.7% $23

Getting Around

Milton, FL

$19 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 410% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,390 in Milton, FL versus $2,446 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Milton, FL versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $423 in Milton, FL vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Milton, FL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Milton, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:09 3:09 AM

Same time as Milton, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,902

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Milton, FL Chicago, IL 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Milton, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,497 in Milton, FL, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,746 per month in Milton, FL and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Milton, FL, 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 $101 in Milton, FL and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Milton, FL, where all-in costs run around $2,497, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Milton, FL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,497 in Milton, FL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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