Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Big Rapids, MI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Big Rapids, MI: $1,961 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Big Rapids, MI
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Big Rapids, MI Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Big Rapids, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,961

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Big Rapids, MI and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Big Rapids, MI and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,961 in Big Rapids, MI versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL.

Big Rapids, MI $1,961
Chicago, IL $3,037

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,883 in Big Rapids, MI versus $4,518 in Chicago, IL.

Big Rapids, MI $2,883
Chicago, IL $4,518

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,804 in Big Rapids, MI versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Big Rapids, MI $3,804
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Big Rapids, MI costs roughly 35% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Big Rapids, MI 44% above, Chicago, IL 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 $18.73

$20.71 $20.71

-9.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 $61.1

$89.2 $89.2

-31.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.17 $8.17

$13.19 $13.19

-38.06%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$5.66 $5.66

-12.90%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.64 $2.64

13.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.28 $2.28

-4.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.87 $6.87

-5.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$8.84 $8.84

-11.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.25 $1.25

-28.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.72 $3.72

-13.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$5.39 $5.39

-59.74%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$4.74 $4.74

-21.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.99 $16.99

$13.84 $13.84

22.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.26 $13.26

$14.40 $14.40

-7.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 $14.66

$18.38 $18.38

-20.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$5.22 $5.22

-34.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.98 $1.98

-68.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$4.06 $4.06

-5.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$4.97 $4.97

-9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.67 $2.67

-14.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.66 $2.66

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.24 $2.24

4.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.13 $3.13

-34.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.26 $10.26

$13.82 $13.82

-25.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 $13.64

$14.88 $14.88

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.54 $2.54

-18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.51 $3.51

-19.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.43 $2.43

-19.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$73.5 $73.5

-17.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.18 $3.18

-6.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.39 $1.39

14.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.80 $26.80

$25.03 $25.03

7.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.20 $1.20

-6.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.6K $29.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-15.38%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.0K $24.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-9.94%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$196 $196

$194 $194

0.92%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.9 $58.9

$69.5 $69.5

-15.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$61.6 $61.6

17.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.35 $43.35

$47.90 $47.90

-9.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.11 $13.11

$17.81 $17.81

-26.39%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,985 $1,985

$1,794 $1,794

10.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K $19.7K

$31.9K $31.9K

-38.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$67.0 $67.0

-16.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.30 $35.30

$52.1 $52.1

-32.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$102 $102

-15.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$144 $144

-28.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 $912

$2,526 $2,526

-63.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 $682

$1,578 $1,578

-56.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$4,738 $4,738

-66.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 $1,064

$2,693 $2,693

-60.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,629 $2,629

$4,190 $4,190

-37.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,463 $2,463

$2,768 $2,768

-11.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

6.81

-16.59%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Big Rapids, MI: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Big Rapids, MI

$682 34.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 131% $896

Groceries & Markets

Big Rapids, MI

$374 19.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 19.7% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Big Rapids, MI

$327 16.7%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 0.6% $1.9

Eating Out

Big Rapids, MI

$302 15.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 14% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Big Rapids, MI

$126 6.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 29.9% $38

Getting Around

Big Rapids, MI

$80 4.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 17.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Big Rapids, MI

$70 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 20.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $912 in Big Rapids, MI and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61 in Big Rapids, MI vs $89 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $447 per month, with Big Rapids, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Big Rapids, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:48 4:48 PM

15:48 3:48 PM

1 h behind Big Rapids, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,565

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Big Rapids, MI Chicago, IL 270 km

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Big Rapids, MI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Big Rapids, MI is about 35% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $2,942 in Big Rapids, MI and $4,555 in Chicago, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $912 in Big Rapids, MI versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Big Rapids, MI – a meal for two runs $61 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,961 in Big Rapids, MI versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Big Rapids, MI but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Big Rapids, MI the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Big Rapids, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.