Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between West Palm Beach, FL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in West Palm Beach, FL and in Chicago, IL: $3,093 and $3,139 a month, rent and utilities included.

151

Cost of Living Index in West Palm Beach, FL
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West Palm Beach, FL Living Index
152

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

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West Palm Beach, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,093

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,093 per month in West Palm Beach, FL vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Palm Beach, FL $3,093
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,562 per month in West Palm Beach, FL vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Palm Beach, FL $4,562
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $6,030 per month in West Palm Beach, FL vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Palm Beach, FL $6,030
Chicago, IL $6,115

West Palm Beach, FL is about 1% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both West Palm Beach, FL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – West Palm Beach, FL by 128%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.97 $20.97

$20.65 $20.65

1.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$90.2 $90.2

-11.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$12.94 $12.94

-7.50%

Cappuccino

$5.21 $5.21

$5.60 $5.60

-6.96%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$2.64 $2.64

-6.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.27 $2.27

-20.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$6.98 $6.98

-16.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$8.83 $8.83

-7.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.27 $1.27

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.80 $3.80

-21.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$5.30 $5.30

-37.17%

Eggs

$3.53 $3.53

$4.76 $4.76

-25.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 $12.08

$13.96 $13.96

-13.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 $10.74

$14.61 $14.61

-26.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.15 $18.15

$18.77 $18.77

-3.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$5.19 $5.19

-5.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.98 $1.98

-13.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.93 $3.93

-24.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$4.96 $4.96

-6.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.76 $2.76

11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.76 $2.76

18.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.22 $2.22

12.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.98 $2.98

-19.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.28 $9.28

$14.02 $14.02

-33.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 $12.74

$15.28 $15.28

-16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.58 $2.58

-31.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.50 $3.50

6.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.47 $2.47

-16.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.8 $70.8

$74.8 $74.8

-5.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.34 $3.34

-11.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.43 $1.43

35.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.05 $35.05

$24.32 $24.32

44.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.26 $1.26

-21.43%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.01%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

0.19%

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

$198 $198

$193 $193

2.87%

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

$64.6 $64.6

$68.3 $68.3

-5.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.3 $76.3

$61.3 $61.3

24.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.39 $48.39

$54.1 $54.1

-10.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.87 $24.87

$27.92 $27.92

-10.92%

Cinema Ticket

$10.14 $10.14

$17.74 $17.74

-42.84%

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

$1,497 $1,497

$1,652 $1,652

-9.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K $21.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

-30.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$66.1 $66.1

-2.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 $40.06

$51.2 $51.2

-21.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$100 $100

-7.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$141 $141

-21.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 $2,258

$2,446 $2,446

-7.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 $1,748

$1,678 $1,678

4.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,986 $3,986

$4,717 $4,717

-15.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,033 $3,033

$2,795 $2,795

8.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,275 $4,275

$4,105 $4,105

4.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,796 $3,796

$2,650 $2,650

43.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,097 $4,097

$4,866 $4,866

-15.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.81

-3.67%

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

Last update for West Palm Beach, FL: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

West Palm Beach, FL

$1.7K 56.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 4% $71

Groceries & Markets

West Palm Beach, FL

$378 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 18.9% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

West Palm Beach, FL

$339 11%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 5% $17

Eating Out

West Palm Beach, FL

$329 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 4.4% $15

Clothing & Footwear

West Palm Beach, FL

$139 4.5%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 16.4% $23

Getting Around

West Palm Beach, FL

$92 3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 3.8% $3.4

Sport & Entertainment

West Palm Beach, FL

$69 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 30.5% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,258 in West Palm Beach, 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.

Salaries run about 19% 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 West Palm Beach, FL versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $449 – making West Palm Beach, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 West Palm Beach, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:52 6:52 AM

05:52 5:52 AM

1 h behind West Palm Beach, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,415

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

West Palm Beach, FL Chicago, IL 1,820 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

West Palm Beach, 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

West Palm Beach, FL vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,093 in West Palm Beach, FL, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 1% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,640 per month in West Palm Beach, 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 West Palm Beach, FL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 West Palm Beach, FL and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,093 in West Palm Beach, FL and $3,139 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 $3,093 in West Palm Beach, FL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with West Palm Beach, 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.