Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Alpena, MI: $1,964 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.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Alpena, MI
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Alpena, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Alpena, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,964

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,964 in Alpena, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Alpena, MI $1,964

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,844 in Alpena, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Alpena, MI $2,844

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,723 in Alpena, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Alpena, MI $3,723

Chicago, IL costs about 55% more than Alpena, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Alpena, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Alpena, MI by 44%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$21.37 $21.37

-3.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$73.9 $73.9

20.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.45 $10.45

26.22%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.36 $5.36

5.60%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.87 $1.87

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.99 $0.99

130.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.11 $6.11

12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.45 $7.45

18.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.81 $0.81

54.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.57 $2.57

44.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.32 $4.32

24.77%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.78 $3.78

25.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.43 $11.43

21.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.74 $11.74

22.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$10.12 $10.12

81.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.93 $4.93

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.56 $1.56

26.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.36 $4.36

-6.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.65 $4.65

6.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.76 $2.76

-3.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.88 $2.88

-7.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.60 $1.60

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.21 $2.21

41.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.87 $8.87

55.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.82 $14.82

0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.91 $1.91

32.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.43 $3.43

2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.97 $1.97

23.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$63.8 $63.8

15.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.11 $3.11

2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.76 $1.76

-21.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$30.25 $30.25

-17.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.04 $1.04

15.38%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

26.50%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.75%

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

$194 $194

$196 $196

-0.73%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$40.32 $40.32

72.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$44.90 $44.90

37.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.00 $42.00

14.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.03 $14.03

26.94%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,415 $1,415

26.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.1K $23.1K

38.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$42.18 $42.18

58.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$29.78 $29.78

75.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$88.3 $88.3

14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$56.0 $56.0

156.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$988 $988

155.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$751 $751

110.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,714 $1,714

176.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,032 $1,032

161.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,771 $2,771

51.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,415 $2,415

14.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.35

7.24%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Alpena, MI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Alpena, MI

$751 38.3% 52.4% $827

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Alpena, MI

$357 18.2% 20.1% $90

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Alpena, MI

$324 16.5% 6.2% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Alpena, MI

$281 14.3% 13.7% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Alpena, MI

$97 5% 40.7% $67

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Alpena, MI

$84 4.3% 10.5% $9.8

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Alpena, MI

$70 3.6% 16.1% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $988 in Alpena, MI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $74 in Alpena, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $357 – making Alpena, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Alpena, MI

🕒 Local time

14:02 2:02 PM

15:02 3:02 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

10,637

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Alpena, MI 490 km

From you

Chicago, IL
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Alpena, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,964 in Alpena, MI – roughly 55% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,946 in Alpena, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alpena, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $988 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,415 in Alpena, MI. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Alpena, MI, where all-in costs run around $1,964, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Alpena, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Alpena, MI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Alpena, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 55% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.