Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Tampa, FL and in Chicago, IL: $3,029 and $3,037 a month, rent and utilities included.

144

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

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

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Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,029

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,029 per month in Tampa, FL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tampa, FL $3,029
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,461 per month in Tampa, FL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tampa, FL $4,461
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,893 per month in Tampa, FL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tampa, FL $5,893
Chicago, IL $5,999

Tampa, FL and Chicago, IL have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 $19.72

$20.71 $20.71

-4.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$89.2 $89.2

-14.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$13.19 $13.19

-7.43%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.66 $5.66

2.12%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$2.64 $2.64

19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.28 $2.28

3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$6.87 $6.87

2.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.86 $8.86

$8.84 $8.84

0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.25 $1.25

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.72 $3.72

6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$5.39 $5.39

-7.42%

Eggs

$3.55 $3.55

$4.74 $4.74

-25.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$13.84 $13.84

2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$14.40 $14.40

-22.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.68 $20.68

$18.38 $18.38

12.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$5.22 $5.22

6.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.98 $1.98

-10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.06 $4.06

-17.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.97 $4.97

-23.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.67 $2.67

-3.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.66 $2.66

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.24 $2.24

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.13 $3.13

-23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.31 $9.31

$13.82 $13.82

-32.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$14.88 $14.88

-1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.54 $2.54

2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 $5.40

$3.51 $3.51

53.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.43 $2.43

-16.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$73.5 $73.5

-11.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.18 $3.18

-20.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.39 $1.39

9.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 $19.99

$25.03 $25.03

-20.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.20 $1.20

-14.17%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$35.0K $35.0K

-6.07%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.12%

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

$209 $209

$194 $194

7.49%

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

$72.3 $72.3

$69.5 $69.5

4.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 $77.0

$61.6 $61.6

24.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.66 $45.66

$47.90 $47.90

-4.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.76 $20.76

$27.34 $27.34

-24.07%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 $15.77

$17.81 $17.81

-11.45%

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

$1,451 $1,451

$1,794 $1,794

-19.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K $22.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-30.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$67.0 $67.0

-17.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.36 $44.36

$52.1 $52.1

-14.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 $88.9

$102 $102

-12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$144 $144

-16.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$2,526 $2,526

-12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$1,578 $1,578

1.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,835 $3,835

$4,738 $4,738

-19.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 $2,781

$2,693 $2,693

3.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,140 $6,140

$4,190 $4,190

46.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,270 $2,270

$2,768 $2,768

-17.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,639 $4,639

$4,931 $4,931

-5.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.81

-6.02%

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

Last update for Tampa, 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

Tampa, FL

$1.6K 53.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 1.9% $30

Groceries & Markets

Tampa, FL

$424 14%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 5.6% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tampa, FL

$358 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.1% $33

Eating Out

Tampa, FL

$339 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 1.8% $6.1

Clothing & Footwear

Tampa, FL

$139 4.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 18.1% $25

Getting Around

Tampa, FL

$84 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 11.7% $9.8

Sport & Entertainment

Tampa, FL

$77 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 8.2% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,202 in Tampa, 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 6% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Tampa, FL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $447 – making Tampa, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tampa, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:49 10:49 AM

09:49 9:49 AM

1 h behind Tampa, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

332,888

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tampa, FL Chicago, IL 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Tampa, 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,543 per month in Tampa, 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 Tampa, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,202 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

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

Public transport costs about 11% less in Tampa, FL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,029 in Tampa, 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 Tampa, FL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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