Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Orlando, FL: $2,948 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

144

Cost of Living Index in Orlando, FL
Learn more

Orlando, FL Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Orlando, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,948

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,948 per month in Orlando, FL vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Orlando, FL $2,948
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $4,339 per month in Orlando, FL vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Orlando, FL $4,339
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $5,731 per month in Orlando, FL vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Orlando, FL $5,731
Chicago, IL $6,077

Orlando, FL is about 7% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Orlando, FL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Orlando, FL by 118%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.35 $21.35

$21.58 $21.58

-1.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.1 $80.1

$88.7 $88.7

-9.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.99 $12.99

$13.20 $13.20

-1.59%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$5.59 $5.59

-7.87%

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

$4.00 $4.00

$2.63 $2.63

52.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.26 $2.26

28.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$7.11 $7.11

-13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$9.23 $9.23

-12.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.28 $1.28

-10.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.84 $3.84

-2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.07 $5.07

-12.62%

Eggs

$3.57 $3.57

$4.84 $4.84

-26.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 $12.17

$14.17 $14.17

-14.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.05 $11.05

$14.61 $14.61

-24.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 $18.25

$18.76 $18.76

-2.72%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$5.19 $5.19

15.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.00 $2.00

1.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.00 $4.00

25.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$4.98 $4.98

-5.22%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.79 $2.79

36.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.65 $2.65

29.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.13 $2.13

16.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.09 $3.09

-23.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.41 $9.41

$16.05 $16.05

-41.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$15.20 $15.20

-1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.62 $2.62

28.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.46 $3.46

5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.47 $2.47

-19.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 $51.0

$75.1 $75.1

-32.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.21 $3.21

-7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.39 $1.39

40.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.41 $34.41

$25.02 $25.02

37.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.24 $1.24

-12.90%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.96%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.85%

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

$201 $201

$192 $192

4.31%

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

$62.3 $62.3

$67.8 $67.8

-8.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 $76.1

$60.9 $60.9

24.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.78 $39.78

$53.6 $53.6

-25.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.46 $14.46

$27.90 $27.90

-48.17%

Cinema Ticket

$16.75 $16.75

$17.80 $17.80

-5.90%

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

$1,567 $1,567

$1,554 $1,554

0.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$31.4K $31.4K

-31.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 $65.0

$67.9 $67.9

-4.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.30 $40.30

$50.8 $50.8

-20.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 $93.0

$101 $101

-8.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$143 $143

-17.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 $1,994

$2,383 $2,383

-16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 $1,551

$1,712 $1,712

-9.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,179 $3,179

$4,674 $4,674

-31.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,642 $2,642

$2,738 $2,738

-3.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,073 $3,073

$4,158 $4,158

-26.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,753 $2,753

$2,691 $2,691

2.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,720 $4,720

$4,894 $4,894

-3.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.77

-0.30%

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

Last update for Orlando, FL: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Orlando, FL

$1.6K 52.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 10.3% $161

Groceries & Markets

Orlando, FL

$424 14.4%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 6.4% $27

Eating Out

Orlando, FL

$346 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 1.9% $6.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Orlando, FL

$339 11.5%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 5.3% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Orlando, FL

$143 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 14.6% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Orlando, FL

$73 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 21.7% $16

Getting Around

Orlando, FL

$72 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 32.8% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,994 in Orlando, 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 4% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $80.0 in Orlando, FL versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $451 – making Orlando, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Orlando, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:25 10:25 AM

09:25 9:25 AM

1 h behind Orlando, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

307,573

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Orlando, FL Chicago, IL 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Orlando, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,948 in Orlando, FL, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,422 per month in Orlando, 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 Orlando, FL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Orlando, FL and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,948 in Orlando, 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 $2,948 in Orlando, FL to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Orlando, 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.