Chicago, IL vs. Port St. Lucie, FL
Median rent is $1,380 a month in Chicago, IL and $1,781 in Port St. Lucie, FL. Household income is $75,134 against $78,137. Both cities are read from the same ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates and the same BEA Regional Price Parities 2023, so the two columns below are directly comparable.
A green or red badge means the second city is higher or lower, not better or worse: a lower rent is good for a tenant, a lower household income is not. For the price level and
the share of income the raw values are shown, because a percentage difference between two
percentages is easy to misread.
What the gap means
Occupation wages in both metros
May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Metropolitan areas may differ from city boundaries.
| Occupation | Chicago, IL median | Port St. Lucie, FL median | vs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | $109,390 | $94,910 | -13.2% |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $82,090 | -18.3% |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,820 | $34,020 | -5.0% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,630 | $29,130 | -15.9% |
| Customer Service Representatives | $47,100 | $38,380 | -18.5% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $38,470 | $34,550 | -10.2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $62,300 | $48,590 | -22.0% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $31,200 | $36,250 | +16.2% |
Metropolitan areas and cover every industry together, so the two columns may describe wider areas than the city limits used for rent and income.
Chicago, IL vs Port St. Lucie, FL: frequently asked questions
Is Port St. Lucie, FL more expensive than Chicago, IL?
No. Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are about 0.9% lower than in Chicago, IL: a regional price level of 101.7 against 102.6, where the U.S. average is 100.
How much do I need to earn in Port St. Lucie, FL to keep a $100,000 lifestyle from Chicago, IL?
About $99,100. Adjusting $100,000 by the BEA regional price levels of the two areas (102.6 in Chicago, IL, 101.7 in Port St. Lucie, FL) gives the salary with the same purchasing power. Taxes and personal spending habits are not included.
Is rent cheaper in Chicago, IL or Port St. Lucie, FL?
The median gross rent is $1,380 a month in Chicago, IL and $1,781 in Port St. Lucie, FL, a difference of $401 a month or $4,812 a year.
Where are household incomes higher, Chicago, IL or Port St. Lucie, FL?
The median household income is $75,134 in Chicago, IL and $78,137 in Port St. Lucie, FL. Rent takes 22.0% of the median income in Chicago, IL and 27.4% in Port St. Lucie, FL.
What salary do I need to afford the median rent in Port St. Lucie, FL?
About $71,200 a year, the gross income that keeps the median rent of $1,781 a month at 30% of income. The same rule gives $55,200 in Chicago, IL.
More comparisons with Chicago, IL
More comparisons with Port St. Lucie, FL
Definitions used on this page
- Salary needed for the median rent
- Twelve months of median gross rent divided by 0.30: the income that keeps the median rent at 30% of gross pay.
- Price level
- BEA regional price parity for the metro area where one is published, otherwise for the state. The national average is 100.
- Same standard of living
- A salary in Chicago, IL converted into Port St. Lucie, FL at the ratio of the two price levels. It adjusts for prices only, not for taxes or for what either city offers.
- Buying power
- One hundred divided by the price level: what a dollar buys locally relative to the national average.
Sources
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- Census Bureau — ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates
- BEA — BEA Regional Price Parities 2023
Margins of error are published for every Census figure. Read the methodology before reading a small gap between two cities as a real difference.
Full detail for each city: Chicago, IL · Port St. Lucie, FL