Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Flint, MI: $1,781 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 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
85

Cost of Living Index in Flint, MI
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Flint, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Flint, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,781

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,781 in Flint, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Flint, MI $1,781

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,688 in Flint, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Flint, MI $2,688

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,595 in Flint, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Flint, MI $3,595

Chicago, IL costs about 71% more than Flint, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Flint, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Flint, MI by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$15.09 $15.09

37.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$66.4 $66.4

34.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.93 $9.93

32.83%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.33 $5.33

6.19%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.15 $2.15

22.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.53 $1.53

49.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.11 $5.11

34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.86 $4.86

81.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.73 $0.73

71.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.09 $3.09

20.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.20 $4.20

28.33%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.16 $3.16

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$9.00 $9.00

53.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.12 $10.12

42.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$13.11 $13.11

40.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.37 $3.37

54.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.49 $1.49

32.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.41 $4.41

-7.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.85 $3.85

29.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.56 $2.56

4.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.06 $2.06

29.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.62 $2.62

-14.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.01 $2.01

55.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.80 $9.80

41.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$9.88 $9.88

50.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.95 $1.95

30.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.04 $3.04

15.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.70 $1.70

42.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$55.8 $55.8

31.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.48 $2.48

28.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.53 $2.53

-45.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$39.58 $39.58

-36.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.93 $0.93

29.03%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.8K $30.8K

13.71%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.78%

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

$194 $194

$176 $176

10.43%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$60.1 $60.1

15.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$49.13 $49.13

25.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$29.77 $29.77

60.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$64.2 $64.2

-57.38%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.11 $12.11

47.07%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,696 $1,696

5.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$14.0K $14.0K

128.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$20.04 $20.04

234.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$24.63 $24.63

111.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$50.7 $50.7

100.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$40.49 $40.49

255.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$858 $858

194.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$709 $709

122.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$968 $968

389.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,170 $1,170

130.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,535 $1,535

172.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,507 $1,507

83.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$2,835 $2,835

73.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

4.85

40.41%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Flint, MI: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Flint, MI

$709 39.8% 55.1% $869

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Flint, MI

$329 18.5% 26.4% $118

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Flint, MI

$265 14.9% 23.3% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Flint, MI

$285 16% 12.4% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Flint, MI

$61 3.4% 62.7% $103

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Flint, MI

$78 4.4% 16.7% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Flint, MI

$54 3% 35.4% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $858 in Flint, 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 74% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $66 in Flint, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $329 – making Flint, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Flint, MI

🕒 Local time

07:44 7:44 AM

08:44 8:44 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

79,865

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Flint, MI 350 km

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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 Flint, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,781 in Flint, MI – Flint, MI comes out roughly 41% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,671 in Flint, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Flint, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $858 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $66 in Flint, MI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Flint, MI, where all-in costs run around $1,781, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Flint, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Flint, MI. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.