Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Birch Run, MI: $2,477 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
118

Cost of Living Index in Birch Run, MI
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Birch Run, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Birch Run, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,477

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL versus $2,477 in Birch Run, MI.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Birch Run, MI $2,477

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,545 in Chicago, IL versus $3,667 in Birch Run, MI.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Birch Run, MI $3,667

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,019 in Chicago, IL versus $4,856 in Birch Run, MI.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Birch Run, MI $4,856

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 24% more expensive than in Birch Run, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 127% above, Birch Run, MI 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.23 $20.23

0.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$73.9 $73.9

19.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$9.91 $9.91

29.67%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.47 $4.47

29.31%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.87 $2.87

-4.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.67 $1.67

35.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.02 $6.02

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.58 $6.58

40.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.83 $0.83

51.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.62 $3.62

-1.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.28 $3.28

64.02%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.35 $4.35

4.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$9.83 $9.83

38.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$13.76 $13.76

2.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$14.60 $14.60

23.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.97 $4.97

3.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.47 $4.47

-13.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.52 $3.52

37.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.11 $2.11

33.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.74 $3.74

-28.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.81 $2.81

-26.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.48 $2.48

22.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$7.86 $7.86

76.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.04 $15.04

0.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.05 $2.05

28.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.52 $2.52

36.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.04 $2.04

19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$61.1 $61.1

23.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.59 $4.59

-30.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.97 $1.97

-13.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$31.53 $31.53

-21.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.11 $1.11

15.32%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

32.05%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

4.25%

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

$192 $192

$129 $129

49.24%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$49.61 $49.61

40.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$58.5 $58.5

6.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$34.71 $34.71

37.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.01 $14.01

27.27%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$895 $895

102.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$14.7K $14.7K

176.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$39.68 $39.68

66.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$42.44 $42.44

21.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$77.6 $77.6

33.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$97.3 $97.3

46.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,570 $1,570

61.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,285 $1,285

26.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,563 $2,563

88.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,138 $2,138

27.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,978 $2,978

39.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,406 $2,406

13.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

4.9

38.37%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

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

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Birch Run, MI

$1.3K 51.9% 20.7% $336

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Birch Run, MI

$387 15.6% 11.9% $52

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Birch Run, MI

$307 12.4% 10.9% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Birch Run, MI

$237 9.6% 26.9% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Birch Run, MI

$116 4.7% 29.3% $48

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Birch Run, MI

$84 3.4% 13.5% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Birch Run, MI

$63 2.5% 24.8% $21

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,531 in Chicago, IL and $1,570 in Birch Run, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $74 in Birch Run, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $387 per month, with Birch Run, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Birch Run, MI

🕒 Local time

11:11 11:11 AM

12:11 12:11 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

1,500

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Birch Run, MI 350 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 Birch Run, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,477 in Birch Run, MI, so Birch Run, MI is about 19% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $4,608 in Chicago, IL and $3,716 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: $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,570 in Birch Run, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 $74 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,477 in Birch Run, MI versus $3,072 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Birch Run, MI but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Birch Run, 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 Birch Run, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.