Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Palmetto, FL: $2,655 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

127

Cost of Living Index in Palmetto, FL
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Palmetto, FL Living Index
147

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

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Palmetto, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,655

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,655 per month in Palmetto, FL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Palmetto, FL $2,655
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,844 per month in Palmetto, FL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Palmetto, FL $3,844
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,033 per month in Palmetto, FL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Palmetto, FL $5,033
Chicago, IL $5,999

Palmetto, FL is about 13% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Palmetto, FL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Palmetto, FL by 95%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.46 $22.46

$20.71 $20.71

8.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 $69.6

$89.2 $89.2

-21.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 $11.79

$13.19 $13.19

-10.61%

Cappuccino

$5.57 $5.57

$5.66 $5.66

-1.59%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$2.64 $2.64

-3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.28 $2.28

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 $6.17

$6.87 $6.87

-10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 $7.65

$8.84 $8.84

-13.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.25 $1.25

-34.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.72 $3.72

-12.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$5.39 $5.39

-37.66%

Eggs

$2.94 $2.94

$4.74 $4.74

-37.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 $11.99

$13.84 $13.84

-13.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 $13.43

$14.40 $14.40

-6.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.49 $19.49

$18.38 $18.38

6.04%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$5.22 $5.22

46.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.98 $1.98

-0.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$4.06 $4.06

47.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.97 $4.97

-33.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.67 $2.67

-31.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.66 $2.66

24.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.24 $2.24

18.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.13 $3.13

-30.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$13.82 $13.82

-32.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 $12.80

$14.88 $14.88

-13.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.54 $2.54

-30.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.51 $3.51

39.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.43 $2.43

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 $59.7

$73.5 $73.5

-18.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.18 $3.18

10.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.39 $1.39

9.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.36 $30.36

$25.03 $25.03

21.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.20 $1.20

-15.83%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-20.47%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.73%

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

$236 $236

$194 $194

21.24%

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

$37.44 $37.44

$69.5 $69.5

-46.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 $50.9

$61.6 $61.6

-17.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.55 $43.55

$47.90 $47.90

-9.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 $11.82

$17.81 $17.81

-33.63%

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

$1,012 $1,012

$1,794 $1,794

-43.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-42.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.95 $37.95

$67.0 $67.0

-43.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.98 $48.98

$52.1 $52.1

-6.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 $90.3

$102 $102

-11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 $98.0

$144 $144

-31.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$2,526 $2,526

-37.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 $1,304

$1,578 $1,578

-17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,548 $2,548

$4,738 $4,738

-46.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 $2,095

$2,693 $2,693

-22.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,869 $2,869

$4,190 $4,190

-31.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,308 $2,308

$2,768 $2,768

-16.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,434 $5,434

$4,931 $4,931

10.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.81

-3.08%

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

Last update for Palmetto, FL: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Palmetto, FL

$1.3K 49.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 21% $274

Groceries & Markets

Palmetto, FL

$411 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 8.8% $36

Eating Out

Palmetto, FL

$346 13%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 0.2% $0.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Palmetto, FL

$324 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.5% $1.5

Clothing & Footwear

Palmetto, FL

$124 4.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 32.4% $40

Getting Around

Palmetto, FL

$79 3%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 17.6% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Palmetto, FL

$67 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 24.3% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in Palmetto, 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 10% higher in Palmetto, 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 $70 in Palmetto, FL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $447 – making Palmetto, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Palmetto, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:20 9:20 AM

08:20 8:20 AM

1 h behind Palmetto, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

14,002

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Palmetto, FL Chicago, IL 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Palmetto, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,655 in Palmetto, FL, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 14% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,983 per month in Palmetto, 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 Palmetto, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,573 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $70 in Palmetto, FL and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Palmetto, FL, where all-in costs run around $2,655, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Palmetto, FL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Palmetto, FL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Palmetto, FL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 14% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.