Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bloomfield Hills, MI Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Bloomfield Hills, MI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,051 in Chicago, IL versus $2,514 in Bloomfield Hills, MI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,638 in Chicago, IL versus $3,639 in Bloomfield Hills, MI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,224 in Chicago, IL versus $4,765 in Bloomfield Hills, MI.

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 21% more expensive than Bloomfield Hills, MI, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 128% above, Bloomfield Hills, MI 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 $20.67

$17.82 $17.82

15.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$56.0 $56.0

79.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$8.92 $8.92

32.96%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$5.41 $5.41

2.40%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$2.22 $2.22

37.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.00 $2.00

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.92 $6.92

$4.07 $4.07

70.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.33 $6.33

28.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.80 $0.80

30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.05 $3.05

28.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.27 $2.27

138.77%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$3.97 $3.97

12.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$9.72 $9.72

49.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$11.89 $11.89

27.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$19.99 $19.99

-3.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.42 $4.42

21.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.52 $1.52

11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$3.51 $3.51

23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.96 $3.96

13.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$4.15 $4.15

-38.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$4.87 $4.87

-44.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.57 $2.57

-6.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.45 $2.45

6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.02 $15.02

$9.95 $9.95

50.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.97 $14.97

-1.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.01 $2.01

23.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.00 $3.00

23.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.06 $2.06

23.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.5 $75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.82 $2.82

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.72 $24.72

$25.88 $25.88

-4.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.83 $0.83

31.33%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$34.1K $34.1K

-6.93%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.09%

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

$183 $183

$136 $136

35.05%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$40.46 $40.46

52.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$63.0 $63.0

3.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$42.52 $42.52

78.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 $13.04

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$12.13 $12.13

21.60%

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

$2,056 $2,056

$1,024 $1,024

100.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$18.9K $18.9K

103.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$56.1 $56.1

13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 $51.6

$45.26 $45.26

13.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$35.49 $35.49

174.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$139 $139

6.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 $2,349

$1,595 $1,595

47.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$1,350 $1,350

17.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,708 $4,708

$2,675 $2,675

76.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 $2,716

$2,261 $2,261

20.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,976 $3,976

$2,643 $2,643

50.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$2,350 $2,350

12.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,723 $4,723

$6,451 $6,451

-26.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

3.6

83.33%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: April 20, 2026

Last update for Bloomfield Hills, MI: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,349 in Chicago, IL and $1,595 in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bloomfield Hills, MI pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Chicago, IL vs $56 in Bloomfield Hills, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $385 per month, with Bloomfield Hills, 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 Bloomfield Hills, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL and Bloomfield Hills, MI differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($3,051 vs $2,514 including rent). Bloomfield Hills, MI is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bloomfield Hills, MI earns 37% less. 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: $2,349 in Chicago, IL versus $1,595 in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,051 per month in Chicago, IL versus $2,514 in Bloomfield Hills, MI – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bloomfield Hills, 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 Bloomfield Hills, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.