Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Ann Arbor, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Ann Arbor, MI: $2,750 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Ann Arbor, MI
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Ann Arbor, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Ann Arbor, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,750

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Ann Arbor, 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 Ann Arbor, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL versus $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Ann Arbor, MI $2,750

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Chicago, IL versus $4,198 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Ann Arbor, MI $4,198

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,115 in Chicago, IL versus $5,646 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Ann Arbor, MI $5,646

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 14% more expensive than in Ann Arbor, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 132% above, Ann Arbor, MI 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$18.66 $18.66

10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$59.3 $59.3

52.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.76 $11.76

10.03%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.18 $5.18

8.11%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.90 $2.90

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.09 $2.09

8.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$6.47 $6.47

7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$8.14 $8.14

8.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.99 $0.99

28.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.83 $3.83

-0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.88 $4.88

8.61%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.82 $3.82

24.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$19.36 $19.36

-27.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.03 $13.03

12.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$14.93 $14.93

25.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$6.91 $6.91

-24.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.86 $1.86

6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.81 $3.81

3.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.50 $4.50

10.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.39 $2.39

15.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.85 $2.85

-3.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.52 $2.52

-11.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.02 $2.02

47.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.32 $10.32

35.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.09 $15.09

1.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.18 $2.18

18.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.79 $3.79

-7.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.78 $1.78

38.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$45.62 $45.62

63.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.93 $2.93

13.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.51 $1.51

-5.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$26.09 $26.09

-6.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.06 $1.06

18.87%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$29.6K $29.6K

18.26%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.53%

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

$193 $193

$201 $201

-4.12%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$58.9 $58.9

15.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$73.0 $73.0

-16.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$63.2 $63.2

-14.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$19.46 $19.46

43.47%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$13.22 $13.22

34.19%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,999 $1,999

-17.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$19.6K $19.6K

58.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$55.8 $55.8

18.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$44.52 $44.52

15.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$113 $113

-11.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$106 $106

32.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$2,077 $2,077

17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,375 $1,375

22.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$3,811 $3,811

23.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,692 $2,692

3.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$5,516 $5,516

-25.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,597 $2,597

2.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$5,148 $5,148

-5.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.6

3.18%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ann Arbor, MI: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Ann Arbor, MI

$1.4K 50% 18% $303

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Ann Arbor, MI

$430 15.7% 4.3% $19

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Ann Arbor, MI

$315 11.5% 8.2% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Ann Arbor, MI

$333 12.1% 3.3% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Ann Arbor, MI

$144 5.2% 10.9% $18

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Ann Arbor, MI

$63 2.3% 33.5% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Ann Arbor, MI

$90 3.3% 0.1% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,446 in Chicago, IL and $2,077 in Ann Arbor, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ann Arbor, MI pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $90.0 in Chicago, IL vs $59.0 in Ann Arbor, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $430 per month, with Ann Arbor, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Ann Arbor, MI

🕒 Local time

21:15 9:15 PM

22:15 10:15 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

123,851

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Ann Arbor, MI 320 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

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

Chicago, IL and Ann Arbor, MI differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($3,139 vs $2,750 including rent). Ann Arbor, MI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Ann Arbor, MI. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $2,077 in Ann Arbor, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ann Arbor, MI – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Ann Arbor, 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 Ann Arbor, 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 Ann Arbor, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.