City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Chicago | Fort Lauderdale | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $1,627/mo | 19.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $417,600 | 27.1% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $75,376 | 4.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 105.1 | 7.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 103.8 | 11.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 93.2 | 5.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 112.8 | 13.7% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Chicago, you'd need $113,214 in Fort Lauderdale to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 11.7% cheaper overall than Fort Lauderdale, FL, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 19% lower in Chicago than in Fort Lauderdale. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $90,571 in Fort Lauderdale to keep the same standard of living.