Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Houghton, MI: $2,736 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Houghton, MI
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Houghton, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Houghton, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,736

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,736 in Houghton, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Houghton, MI $2,736

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,593 in Houghton, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Houghton, MI $3,593

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,449 in Houghton, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Houghton, MI $4,449

Chicago, IL costs about 15% more than Houghton, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Houghton, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Houghton, MI by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$13.78 $13.78

49.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$39.55 $39.55

128.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$10.37 $10.37

24.78%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.13 $4.13

35.59%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.78 $2.78

-5.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.62 $1.62

40.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.94 $5.94

17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$7.38 $7.38

19.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.00 $1.00

27.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$4.18 $4.18

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$6.34 $6.34

-16.40%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.94 $3.94

20.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$12.31 $12.31

13.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$10.79 $10.79

35.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$10.97 $10.97

71.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.09 $5.09

1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.18 $1.18

67.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.25 $4.25

-7.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.77 $4.77

3.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.80 $2.80

-1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.01 $3.01

-8.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.21 $2.21

0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.47 $1.47

102.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.18 $10.18

37.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$14.99 $14.99

1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.95 $1.95

32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.28 $3.28

6.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.03 $2.03

21.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.02 $3.02

10.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.49 $1.49

-4.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$29.22 $29.22

-16.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.81 $0.81

55.56%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

39.30%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.4K $25.4K

2.73%

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

$193 $193

$280 $280

-31.25%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$57.6 $57.6

18.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$69.1 $69.1

-11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$36.96 $36.96

46.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.18 $14.18

25.11%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,249 $1,249

32.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$22.9K $22.9K

35.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$53.7 $53.7

23.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$41.58 $41.58

23.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$87.0 $87.0

15.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$108 $108

30.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,833 $1,833

33.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,484 $1,484

13.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,318 $2,318

103.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,967 $1,967

42.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,546 $1,546

165.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,550 $1,550

70.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,603 $2,603

86.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Houghton, MI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Houghton, MI

$1.5K 54.2% 11.5% $193

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Houghton, MI

$377 13.8% 16.1% $72

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Houghton, MI

$253 9.3% 26.3% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Houghton, MI

$407 14.9% 26.3% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Houghton, MI

$131 4.8% 18.9% $30

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Houghton, MI

$19 * 0.7% 80.5% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Houghton, MI

$65 2.4% 27.1% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,833 in Houghton, 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 87% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $40.00 in Houghton, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $377 – making Houghton, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Houghton, MI

🕒 Local time

10:04 10:04 AM

11:04 11:04 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

8,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Houghton, MI 590 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
Houghton, MI

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 Houghton, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,736 in Houghton, MI – roughly 15% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,105 in Houghton, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $40.00 in Houghton, MI. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,736 in Houghton, MI. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,736 in Houghton, MI to $3,139 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 Houghton, 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.