Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Birch Run, MI Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Birch Run, MI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,077 in Chicago, IL versus $2,556 in Birch Run, MI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,628 in Chicago, IL versus $3,670 in Birch Run, MI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,179 in Chicago, IL versus $4,783 in Birch Run, MI.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 20% more expensive than Birch Run, MI, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 130% above, Birch Run, MI 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.91 $20.91

$18.03 $18.03

15.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$68.7 $68.7

42.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$11.08 $11.08

7.04%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.85 $4.85

15.46%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$2.50 $2.50

22.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.64 $1.64

50.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.14 $7.14

$6.15 $6.15

16.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$6.89 $6.89

17.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.89 $0.89

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.47 $3.47

18.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$4.72 $4.72

18.86%

Eggs

$4.51 $4.51

$3.17 $3.17

42.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$10.08 $10.08

41.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$11.96 $11.96

24.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.19 $19.19

$15.00 $15.00

27.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$8.88 $8.88

-42.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.36 $1.36

30.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.43 $3.43

32.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.20 $2.20

15.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.82 $3.82

-28.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.46 $2.46

-1.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.71 $2.71

-3.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.92 $14.92

$7.91 $7.91

88.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$15.13 $15.13

-2.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.80 $1.80

36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.67 $3.67

1.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.94 $1.94

27.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$39.99 $39.99

88.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.81 $4.81

-33.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.38 $1.38

2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.94 $24.94

$28.09 $28.09

-11.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.89 $0.89

19.10%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.8K $24.8K

28.75%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$24.0K $24.0K

8.29%

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

$185 $185

$119 $119

54.86%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$46.23 $46.23

33.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$60.1 $60.1

11.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$42.22 $42.22

78.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 $13.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$11.16 $11.16

31.81%

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

$2,020 $2,020

$969 $969

108.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$20.9K $20.9K

88.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 $64.6

$38.53 $38.53

67.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 $52.5

$41.99 $41.99

24.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 $97.8

$79.5 $79.5

23.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$99.6 $99.6

48.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 $2,313

$1,574 $1,574

46.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$1,332 $1,332

19.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,608 $4,608

$2,643 $2,643

74.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,779 $2,779

$2,218 $2,218

25.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,922 $3,922

$2,827 $2,827

38.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,608 $2,608

0.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,217 $5,217

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

4.9

34.69%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Birch Run, MI: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,313 in Chicago, IL and $1,574 in Birch Run, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $69.0 in Birch Run, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $401 per month, with Birch Run, 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 Birch Run, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Birch Run, MI differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($3,077 vs $2,556 including rent). Birch Run, MI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,616 in Chicago, IL and $3,834 in Birch Run, 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: $2,313 in Chicago, IL versus $1,574 in Birch Run, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Birch Run, MI – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $98.0 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. Birch Run, 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.

Expats usually find Birch Run, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.