Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and East Lansing, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in East Lansing, MI: $2,399 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 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
115

Cost of Living Index in East Lansing, MI
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East Lansing, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

East Lansing, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,399

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,399 in East Lansing, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
East Lansing, MI $2,399

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,525 in East Lansing, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
East Lansing, MI $3,525

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,651 in East Lansing, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
East Lansing, MI $4,651

Chicago, IL costs about 27% more than East Lansing, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and East Lansing, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, East Lansing, MI by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.35 $16.35

26.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$76.2 $76.2

17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.14 $12.14

8.65%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.49 $5.49

3.10%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.48 $2.48

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.15 $2.15

6.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.92 $4.92

39.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.49 $6.49

36.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.79 $0.79

58.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.07 $3.07

21.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.65 $4.65

15.91%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.59 $2.59

83.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.87 $10.87

27.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.92 $16.92

-14.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.43 $16.43

11.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.54 $5.54

-5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.52 $1.52

30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.78 $6.78

-40.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.54 $3.54

40.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.87 $5.87

-54.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$5.64 $5.64

-52.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.19 $2.19

2.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.81 $3.81

-17.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.22 $10.22

35.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$16.11 $16.11

-7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.97 $1.97

28.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.52 $1.52

130.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.66 $1.66

46.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$50.2 $50.2

46.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$9.87 $9.87

-67.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.13 $3.13

-55.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$10.12 $10.12

147.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.00 $1.00

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.5K $30.5K

15.06%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

5.05%

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

$194 $194

$233 $233

-16.73%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$64.0 $64.0

8.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$63.8 $63.8

-3.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.43 $36.43

31.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$15.06 $15.06

81.54%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.72 $12.72

40.02%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$645 $645

178.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$11.1K $11.1K

187.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.3 $54.3

23.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$37.61 $37.61

38.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$70.8 $70.8

43.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$85.3 $85.3

68.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,200 $1,200

110.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,049 $1,049

50.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,085 $2,085

127.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,696 $1,696

58.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,588 $1,588

163.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,592 $1,592

73.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,170 $6,170

-20.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.56

3.81%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for East Lansing, MI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

East Lansing, MI

$1K 43.7% 33.5% $529

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

East Lansing, MI

$444 18.5% 0.7% $3.1

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

East Lansing, MI

$289 12.1% 16.2% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

East Lansing, MI

$361 15.1% 11% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

East Lansing, MI

$112 4.7% 31.9% $52

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

East Lansing, MI

$82 3.4% 11.8% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

East Lansing, MI

$62 2.6% 25.9% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,200 in East Lansing, MI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in East Lansing, MI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $76 in East Lansing, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $444 – making East Lansing, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 East Lansing, MI

🕒 Local time

07:54 7:54 AM

08:54 8:54 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

47,741

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs East Lansing, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,399 in East Lansing, MI – East Lansing, MI comes out roughly 21% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,599 in East Lansing, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East Lansing, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,200 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $76 in East Lansing, MI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 32% less in East Lansing, MI. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in East Lansing, MI, where all-in costs run around $2,399, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In East Lansing, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward East Lansing, MI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.