Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Holland, MI: $2,445 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
120

Cost of Living Index in Holland, MI
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Holland, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Holland, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,445

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,445 in Holland, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Holland, MI $2,445

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,417 in Holland, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Holland, MI $3,417

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,388 in Holland, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Holland, MI $4,388

Chicago, IL costs about 30% more than Holland, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Holland, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Holland, MI by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$15.41 $15.41

40.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$61.2 $61.2

44.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$12.03 $12.03

9.73%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.14 $5.14

8.75%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.05 $2.05

28.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.14 $2.14

5.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$6.04 $6.04

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$7.92 $7.92

16.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.91 $0.91

40.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.09 $2.09

83.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.86 $1.86

172.58%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.13 $3.13

54.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$17.44 $17.44

-18.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$6.29 $6.29

132.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$14.14 $14.14

32.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.58 $3.58

44.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.08 $1.08

85.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.07 $3.07

30.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.48 $4.48

11.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.41 $2.41

15.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.96 $2.96

-10.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.05 $2.05

3.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.96 $1.96

57.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$8.95 $8.95

79.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$14.72 $14.72

3.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.16 $2.16

21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.36 $1.36

154.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.17 $1.17

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

$34.34 $34.34

118.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.05 $3.05

5.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.51 $1.51

-7.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$26.74 $26.74

-6.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.90 $0.90

37.78%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$29.6K $29.6K

25.60%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.8K $23.8K

8.60%

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

$192 $192

$183 $183

4.97%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$37.44 $37.44

81.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$72.1 $72.1

-15.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$30.42 $30.42

76.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$10.56 $10.56

68.56%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$821 $821

89.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$19.8K $19.8K

58.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$46.05 $46.05

47.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$31.79 $31.79

59.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$75.8 $75.8

33.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$82.9 $82.9

72.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$1,332 $1,332

78.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,338 $1,338

27.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$2,077 $2,077

125.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$2,009 $2,009

36.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$2,315 $2,315

79.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$2,403 $2,403

11.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$3,822 $3,822

28.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

5.95

13.78%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Holland, MI: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Holland, MI

$1.3K 54.7% 21.8% $374

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Holland, MI

$323 13.2% 28.4% $128

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Holland, MI

$284 11.6% 19.6% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Holland, MI

$293 12% 8.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Holland, MI

$106 4.4% 34.9% $57

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Holland, MI

$50 2% 47.8% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Holland, MI

$52 2.1% 42.2% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $1,332 in Holland, 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 28% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $61.0 in Holland, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $323 – making Holland, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Holland, MI

🕒 Local time

19:06 7:06 PM

20:06 8:06 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

34,378

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Holland, MI 160 km

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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 Holland, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,445 in Holland, MI – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,668 in Holland, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Holland, MI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $61.0 in Holland, 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 Holland, MI, where all-in costs run around $2,445, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Holland, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,445 in Holland, MI to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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