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Cost of living · head to head

Chicago, IL is approximately 9% cheaper than Miami, FL, using Miami, FL as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Miami, FL and Chicago, IL metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Miami, FLoverall index
114.2
Chicago, ILoverall index
103.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Miami, FL
A salary of $100,000 in Miami, FL has approximately the same purchasing power as $90,718 in Chicago, IL, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Chicago, IL is cheaper than Miami, FL, so you’d only need about $90,718 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Miami, FL same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$9,300 less you’d need to earn, not a step down.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

The headline gap is 9%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Chicago, IL run 28% lower than in Miami, FL (112.0 vs 155.6), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

CategoryMiami, FLChicago, ILDifference
Overall114.2103.6-9%
Goods103.6107.3+4%
Housing rents155.6112.0-28%
Utilities97.283.6-14%
Other services109.1100.5-8%

Chicago, IL differs from Miami, FL the most in housing rents — about 28% lower in Chicago, IL — while the closest is goods.

$50,000 in Miami, FL$45,359
$75,000 in Miami, FL$68,039
$100,000 in Miami, FL$90,718
$150,000 in Miami, FL$136,077
$200,000 in Miami, FL$181,436

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Chicago, IL, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Miami, FL.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Is Chicago, IL cheaper than Miami, FL?

Yes — Chicago, IL has an overall cost-of-living index of 103.6 versus 114.2 for Miami, FL, making it about 9% cheaper.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Miami, FL if you moved to Chicago, IL?

About $90,718, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Miami, FL has approximately the same purchasing power as $90,718 in Chicago, IL. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Chicago, IL than in Miami, FL?

Housing rents in Chicago, IL score 112.0 versus 155.6 in Miami, FL — about 28% cheaper. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Miami, FL and Chicago, IL?

Overall, Chicago, IL is about 9% cheaper than Miami, FL (index 103.6 vs 114.2), with housing 28% lower. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.