Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chesterfield, MI: $2,574 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 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
123

Cost of Living Index in Chesterfield, MI
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Chesterfield, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Chesterfield, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,574

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL versus $2,574 in Chesterfield, MI.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Chesterfield, MI $2,574

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,518 in Chicago, IL versus $3,810 in Chesterfield, MI.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Chesterfield, MI $3,810

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,999 in Chicago, IL versus $5,047 in Chesterfield, MI.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Chesterfield, MI $5,047

Living in Chicago, IL is roughly 18% more expensive than in Chesterfield, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 123% above, Chesterfield, MI 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$24.97 $24.97

-17.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$84.4 $84.4

5.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$15.01 $15.01

-12.13%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.07 $5.07

11.64%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.49 $2.49

6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.13 $2.13

7.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.04 $5.04

36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.58 $6.58

34.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.78 $0.78

60.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.00 $3.00

24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.41 $4.41

22.22%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.53 $2.53

87.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.23 $9.23

49.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.16 $12.16

18.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.36 $13.36

37.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.83 $5.83

-10.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.38 $1.38

43.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.27 $4.27

-4.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.84 $4.84

2.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.71 $2.71

-1.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.21 $3.21

-17.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.92 $1.92

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.73 $2.73

14.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.99 $9.99

38.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.77 $14.77

0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.00 $2.00

27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.24 $3.24

8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.85 $1.85

31.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$52.8 $52.8

39.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.84 $2.84

11.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.54 $1.54

-9.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$26.99 $26.99

-7.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.12 $1.12

7.14%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.67%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.47%

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

$194 $194

$117 $117

66.56%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$37.01 $37.01

87.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$94.9 $94.9

-35.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.62 $36.62

30.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.17 $10.17

75.12%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,663 $1,663

7.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$11.2K $11.2K

184.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$58.4 $58.4

14.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$21.56 $21.56

141.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$123 $123

-17.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$148 $148

-2.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,589 $1,589

59.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,303 $1,303

21.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,531 $2,531

87.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,142 $2,142

25.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,779 $2,779

50.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,316 $2,316

19.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.61

3.03%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chesterfield, MI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Chesterfield, MI

$1.3K 50.6% 17.4% $275

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Chesterfield, MI

$374 14.5% 16.4% $73

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Chesterfield, MI

$362 14.1% 5.1% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Chesterfield, MI

$249 9.7% 23.6% $77

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Chesterfield, MI

$158 6.1% 3.8% $6.2

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Chesterfield, MI

$71 2.8% 24.3% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Chesterfield, MI

$57 2.2% 31.8% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,526 in Chicago, IL and $1,589 in Chesterfield, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $89 in Chicago, IL vs $84 in Chesterfield, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $447 vs $374 per month, with Chesterfield, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Chesterfield, MI

🕒 Local time

16:21 4:21 PM

17:21 5:21 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

49,999

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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From you

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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 Chesterfield, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,574 in Chesterfield, MI, so Chesterfield, MI is about 15% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $4,555 in Chicago, IL and $3,861 in Chesterfield, 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: $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,589 in Chesterfield, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Chicago, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chesterfield, MI – a meal for two runs $84 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,574 in Chesterfield, MI versus $3,037 in Chicago, IL, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Chesterfield, MI but tight or insufficient in Chicago, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Chesterfield, 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 Chesterfield, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.