Food Truck Startup Cost Comparison

Pensacola, FL vs Chicago, IL

Pensacola, FL

$57,000 - $212,000

COL Index: 91.6

VS

Chicago, IL

$69,000 - $243,000

COL Index: 107.8

Detailed Cost Comparison

Expense Pensacola, FL Chicago, IL Difference
Business Registration & Licenses
$1,300 - $5,000 $5,600 - $10,900 -62%
Food Truck Vehicle
$30,000 - $120,000 $30,000 - $120,000 Same
Kitchen Equipment
$10,000 - $40,000 $10,000 - $40,000 Same
Initial Food Inventory
$1,500 - $5,000 $1,500 - $5,000 Same
Commissary Kitchen (Annual)
$4,200 - $12,500 $11,700 - $35,200 -64%
Business & Vehicle Insurance (Annual)
$3,000 - $8,000 $3,000 - $8,000 Same
Marketing & Branding
$2,000 - $8,000 $2,000 - $8,000 Same
Working Capital (3 Months)
$4,600 - $13,700 $5,400 - $16,200 -15%
Total Estimated Cost $57,000 - $212,000 $69,000 - $243,000 -14%

Local Market Factors

Factor Pensacola Chicago
Cost of Living Index 91.6 107.8
Commercial Rent ($/sqft/yr) $10 - $22 $25 - $65
Labor Rate Index 0.88 1.15
Sales Tax 7.5% 10.25%
Minimum Wage $13.00/hr $15.80/hr
LLC Filing Fee $125 $150

Ready to Start Your Food Truck?

Start your Food Truck LLC in โ€” free registered agent for 1 year.

Form Your LLC for $0 + State Fee โ†’

Trusted by 500,000+ businesses ยท Excellent rating on Trustpilot

Start Your LLC โ€” $0 + State Fee