Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tarpon Springs, FL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Tarpon Springs, FL: $2,409 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Tarpon Springs, FL
Learn more

Tarpon Springs, FL Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Tarpon Springs, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,409

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,409 per month in Tarpon Springs, FL vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tarpon Springs, FL $2,409
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,549 per month in Tarpon Springs, FL vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tarpon Springs, FL $3,549
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,688 per month in Tarpon Springs, FL vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Tarpon Springs, FL $4,688
Chicago, IL $5,999

Tarpon Springs, FL is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Tarpon Springs, FL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Tarpon Springs, FL by 77%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.24 $20.24

$20.71 $20.71

-2.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$89.2 $89.2

-32.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 $11.03

$13.19 $13.19

-16.38%

Cappuccino

$4.39 $4.39

$5.66 $5.66

-22.44%

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

$2.11 $2.11

$2.64 $2.64

-20.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.28 $2.28

-34.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 $4.03

$6.87 $6.87

-41.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$8.84 $8.84

-32.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.25 $1.25

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.72 $3.72

-18.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$5.39 $5.39

-36.92%

Eggs

$3.94 $3.94

$4.74 $4.74

-16.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$13.84 $13.84

-16.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.63 $12.63

$14.40 $14.40

-12.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.99 $18.99

$18.38 $18.38

3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$5.22 $5.22

-10.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.98 $1.98

-19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$4.06 $4.06

-29.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$4.97 $4.97

-34.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.67 $2.67

2.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.66 $2.66

22.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.24 $2.24

3.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$3.13 $3.13

-46.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.37 $9.37

$13.82 $13.82

-32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.79 $12.79

$14.88 $14.88

-14.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.54 $2.54

-31.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.51 $3.51

46.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.18 $3.18

58.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.39 $1.39

-42.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.71 $29.71

$25.03 $25.03

18.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.20 $1.20

-31.67%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-28.72%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

0.28%

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

$153 $153

$194 $194

-21.06%

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

$37.97 $37.97

$69.5 $69.5

-45.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$61.6 $61.6

8.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.67 $19.67

$47.90 $47.90

-58.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$17.81 $17.81

-14.15%

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

$650 $650

$1,794 $1,794

-63.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K $17.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-44.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.85 $19.85

$67.0 $67.0

-70.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.32 $30.32

$52.1 $52.1

-41.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 $75.2

$102 $102

-25.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$144 $144

-22.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$2,526 $2,526

-45.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 $1,318

$1,578 $1,578

-16.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$4,738 $4,738

-46.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$2,693 $2,693

-15.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,122 $4,122

$4,931 $4,931

-16.39%

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 Tarpon Springs, FL: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tarpon Springs, FL

$1.3K 54.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 19.8% $260

Groceries & Markets

Tarpon Springs, FL

$373 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 19.8% $74

Eating Out

Tarpon Springs, FL

$294 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 17.3% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tarpon Springs, FL

$258 10.7%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 26.1% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Tarpon Springs, FL

$107 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 53.5% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Tarpon Springs, FL

$50 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 66.2% $33

Getting Around

Tarpon Springs, FL

$9 * 0.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 933% $84

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,372 in Tarpon Springs, 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 20% 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 $61 in Tarpon Springs, FL versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 vs $447 – making Tarpon Springs, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tarpon Springs, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:08 12:08 PM

11:08 11:08 AM

1 h behind Tarpon Springs, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,117

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Tarpon Springs, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,409 in Tarpon Springs, FL, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,614 per month in Tarpon Springs, 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 Tarpon Springs, FL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,372 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Tarpon Springs, FL and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Tarpon Springs, FL, where all-in costs run around $2,409, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Tarpon Springs, FL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tarpon Springs, 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 Tarpon Springs, 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.