Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Allegan, MI Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Allegan, MI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,051 in Chicago, IL versus $2,695 in Allegan, MI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,638 in Chicago, IL versus $4,052 in Allegan, MI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,224 in Chicago, IL versus $5,408 in Allegan, MI.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 13% more expensive than Allegan, MI, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Allegan, MI 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 $20.67

$20.54 $20.54

0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$99.1 $99.1

1.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$12.04 $12.04

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$5.60 $5.60

-1.07%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$3.04 $3.04

0.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.38 $2.38

4.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 $6.92

$7.09 $7.09

-2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.15 $8.15

-0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.94 $3.94

-0.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$5.36 $5.36

1.12%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$4.66 $4.66

-3.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$14.19 $14.19

2.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$14.82 $14.82

2.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$18.87 $18.87

2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.21 $5.21

3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.78 $1.78

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.39 $4.39

-1.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.34 $4.34

3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.45 $2.45

4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.80 $2.80

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.44 $2.44

-1.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.71 $2.71

-3.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 $15.02

$15.10 $15.10

-0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.73 $14.73

-0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.43 $2.43

2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.68 $3.68

0.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.02 $2.02

26.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 $75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.32 $3.32

-0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$25.23 $25.23

-2.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.08 $1.08

0.93%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-0.48%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.5K $26.5K

-0.06%

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

$183 $183

$187 $187

-2.17%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$63.1 $63.1

-1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$66.2 $66.2

-1.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$42.21 $42.21

80.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$15.08 $15.08

-2.19%

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

$2,056 $2,056

$2,030 $2,030

1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$38.6K $38.6K

-0.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$65.3 $65.3

-2.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$50.9 $50.9

1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$97.1 $97.1

0.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$143 $143

2.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 $2,349

$1,630 $1,630

44.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,355 $1,355

16.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,708 $4,708

$2,620 $2,620

79.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 $2,716

$2,225 $2,225

22.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 $3,976

$2,478 $2,478

60.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$2,136 $2,136

23.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,723 $4,723

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 20, 2026

Last update for Allegan, MI: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,349 in Chicago, IL and $1,630 in Allegan, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Chicago, IL vs $99 in Allegan, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $443 per month, with Allegan, MI cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chicago, IL and Allegan, MI differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($3,051 vs $2,695 including rent). Allegan, MI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,577 in Chicago, IL and $4,043 in Allegan, MI 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: $2,349 in Chicago, IL versus $1,630 in Allegan, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,056 in Chicago, IL versus $2,030 in Allegan, MI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Allegan, MI – a meal for two runs $99.0 versus $100 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Allegan, MI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Safety-wise, Chicago, IL and Allegan, MI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Allegan, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.