($1,429) Movers From Chicago, IL to Port St. Lucie, FL

What to know before moving from Chicago to Port St. Lucie

Moving from Chicago to Port St. Lucie means adjusting to a different pace of life — and a different price tag. On average, it costs significantly more to live in Chicago than in Port St. Lucie, making the move an opportunity for many to enjoy a lower cost of living.

Check out how Chicago compares to Port St. Lucie so you know what to expect before you relocate:

• Rent prices in Port St. Lucie are 29% higher than in Chicago, which means you’ll have less money in your pocket each month.
• In terms of homeownership, you’ll be able to get more for your money in Chicago.
  Home prices in Port St. Lucie are 32.5% higher than in Chicago.
• Income in Port St. Lucie is 4.1% lower than in Chicago, so you could earn less for doing the same job. The top employers in Port St. Lucie include Liberty Healthcare Group, Gerelco Electrical Contractors, and St. Lucie Medical Center.
• The cost of living for a single person in Port St. Lucie is 33.0% lower than in Chicago. This includes routine expenses like utilities, groceries, clothing, and transportation.
• The cost of living for a family in Port St. Lucie is 40.2% lower than in Chicago.
• The unemployment rate in Port St. Lucie is 45.56% lower than in Chicago.
• You’ll spend less on retail and restaurants in Port St. Lucie, since the city’s sales taxes in Port St. Lucie are 31.71% lower than in Chicago.
• One perk of moving to Port St. Lucie is paying less in state income taxes, which are 100.00% lower than in Chicago.

To put this in perspective, you would need around $2,009.05 in Port St. Lucie to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with $3,000.00 in Chicago.

How life is different in Chicago vs. Port St. Lucie

• Port St. Lucie might offer you a slower pace of life, since the population is about 93% less than Chicago.
• Getting around Port St. Lucie without a car might be more difficult than in Chicago. Port St. Lucie has a public transportation score of 1 out of 10, whereas Chicago is ranked 9. Ratings are based on a city’s transit connectivity, service frequency, and accessibility to key destinations like jobs and grocery stores.
• Port St. Lucie neighborhoods and districts might not be as easy to navigate on foot as Chicago. Based on its score of 13 out of 100, Port St. Lucie isn’t as walkable as Chicago, which has a score of 77 out of 100. The higher the walkability score a city has, the easier it is to access amenities. The most walkable cities also tend to be more densely populated and have shorter block lengths.
• You probably won’t see as many cycling lanes or off-road trails in Port St. Lucie, which is ranked as less bike-friendly than Chicago. While Chicago has a bike-friendliness score of 72 out of 100, Port St. Lucie earned a 36. Scores are based on factors like whether a city accommodates cyclists on major roadways, how often people bike to work, and how many steep hills it has.
• You can anticipate the same crime rate in Port St. Lucie as Chicago. With the crime index, lower scores are better because they indicate less crime. Cities with scores of 20 or below, for example, have much fewer instances of crime than those with scores of 80–100.
• You might find more confidence in your overall safety in Port St. Lucie than in Chicago, based on Port St. Lucie’s safety index of 64.97 versus 33.87 for Chicago. With this index, higher scores indicate more safety, particularly around how comfortable residents feel walking alone during the day and at night.
• The air quality in Port St. Lucie and Chicago is generally the same (Good). Cities with good to moderate ratings have clean or acceptable air quality, with the possibility of small pollutants affecting people with certain health conditions like asthma. Anything beyond the moderate rate means increased impact on residents.

Other things to consider for your Chicago vs. Port St. Lucie move

• Weather: Port St. Lucie summers are usually hot, with high temperatures averaging in the low 90s. Winters are usually mild to warm, with average high temperatures in the 70s. Port St. Lucie is also vulnerable to hurricanes.
• HOA rules: Check ahead with any neighborhood or community rules on moving to ensure a smooth move.
• Elevator reservation: If your building has an elevator you'll want to check on how to reserve it for move day.
• Truck parking permits: Some cities require parking permits for large vehicles and moving trucks. Find out if you need any parking permits ahead of time.
• State licensing: Individuals and companies engaging in for-profit local and intrastate moving within the Sunshine State must register each year with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Division of Consumer Services. Make sure the moving company you use has a license before hiring.
• State regulator: You can verify a Florida moving license and its status through the state's public utilities commission.
• Moving permits: Florida does not require any moving permits, but it is helpful to check local parking restrictions before moving into the state.
• Change of address: We recommend submitting your change of address form with USPS at least a week prior to your move. You can set an official move date on the form and this way all of your mail will get properly forwarded to Port St. Lucie. Get started here.
• Moving company insurance: Every state requires moving companies to carry different levels of insurance.Released Value Protection stands out as a cost-effective choice, provided by movers at no extra expense, although it comes with limited coverage. In this option, the mover's liability is capped at 60 cents per pound per article. To ensure comprehensive coverage matching the full value of your items, consult with your chosen moving company about alternative options or explore third-party insurance providers. Secure the best protection for your belongings during the move with these tailored coverage choices.
• Moving checklist: Our moving checklist will help you have the peace of mind that you've got everything covered.

Where to live in Port St. Lucie

Now that you've decided to make the move to "PSL", these are the best neighborhoods to move to in Port St. Lucie.

Helpful moving resources