Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Winter Haven, FL and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Winter Haven, FL: $2,478 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Winter Haven, FL
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Winter Haven, FL Living Index
152

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

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Winter Haven, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,478

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,478 per month in Winter Haven, FL vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Winter Haven, FL $2,478
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,641 per month in Winter Haven, FL vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Winter Haven, FL $3,641
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $4,805 per month in Winter Haven, FL vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Winter Haven, FL $4,805
Chicago, IL $6,115

Winter Haven, FL is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Winter Haven, FL and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Winter Haven, FL by 83%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.19 $19.19

$20.65 $20.65

-7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 $73.5

$90.2 $90.2

-18.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 $9.52

$12.94 $12.94

-26.43%

Cappuccino

$2.97 $2.97

$5.60 $5.60

-46.96%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$2.64 $2.64

-18.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.27 $2.27

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.98 $6.98

-22.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$8.83 $8.83

-36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.27 $1.27

-21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.80 $3.80

-6.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$5.30 $5.30

9.81%

Eggs

$4.56 $4.56

$4.76 $4.76

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 $14.21

$13.96 $13.96

1.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.31 $10.31

$14.61 $14.61

-29.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 $14.48

$18.77 $18.77

-22.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$5.19 $5.19

-2.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.98 $1.98

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$3.93 $3.93

44.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$4.96 $4.96

-24.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.76 $2.76

43.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.76 $2.76

35.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.22 $2.22

11.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.98 $2.98

-25.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.75 $7.75

$14.02 $14.02

-44.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 $11.11

$15.28 $15.28

-27.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.58 $2.58

-32.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.50 $3.50

-6.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.47 $2.47

24.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.06 $49.06

$74.8 $74.8

-34.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.34 $3.34

3.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.43 $1.43

-16.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.79 $29.79

$24.32 $24.32

22.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.26 $1.26

-37.30%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-34.04%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-13.11%

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

$241 $241

$193 $193

25.18%

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

$46.27 $46.27

$68.3 $68.3

-32.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 $69.6

$61.3 $61.3

13.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 $30.09

$54.1 $54.1

-44.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.24 $15.24

$27.92 $27.92

-45.42%

Cinema Ticket

$11.12 $11.12

$17.74 $17.74

-37.32%

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

$592 $592

$1,652 $1,652

-64.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K $10.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

-67.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.74 $45.74

$66.1 $66.1

-30.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.08 $41.08

$51.2 $51.2

-19.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 $74.1

$100 $100

-25.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 $74.5

$141 $141

-47.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 $1,410

$2,446 $2,446

-42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 $1,226

$1,678 $1,678

-26.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,230 $2,230

$4,717 $4,717

-52.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,071 $2,071

$2,795 $2,795

-25.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,092 $2,092

$4,105 $4,105

-49.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,092 $2,092

$2,650 $2,650

-21.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 $3,459

$4,866 $4,866

-28.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Winter Haven, FL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Winter Haven, FL

$1.2K 49.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 36.8% $451

Groceries & Markets

Winter Haven, FL

$394 15.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 14.2% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Winter Haven, FL

$357 14.4%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 9.8% $35

Eating Out

Winter Haven, FL

$272 11%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 26.5% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Winter Haven, FL

$106 4.3%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 52.2% $55

Getting Around

Winter Haven, FL

$71 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 34.2% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Winter Haven, FL

$52 2.1%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 71.2% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,410 in Winter Haven, 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 41% 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 $74.0 in Winter Haven, FL versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $449 – making Winter Haven, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Winter Haven, FL

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

07:43 7:43 AM

06:43 6:43 AM

1 h behind Winter Haven, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,219

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

Winter Haven, FL Chicago, IL 1,630 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Winter Haven, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,478 in Winter Haven, FL, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,717 per month in Winter Haven, 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 Winter Haven, FL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $74.0 in Winter Haven, FL and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Winter Haven, FL, where all-in costs run around $2,478, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Winter Haven, FL it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,478 in Winter Haven, FL to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Winter Haven, 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.