Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Lake Orion, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Lake Orion, MI: $2,456 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 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
117

Cost of Living Index in Lake Orion, MI
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Lake Orion, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Lake Orion, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,456

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,456 in Lake Orion, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Lake Orion, MI $2,456

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,483 in Lake Orion, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Lake Orion, MI $3,483

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,510 in Lake Orion, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Lake Orion, MI $4,510

Chicago, IL costs about 24% more than Lake Orion, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Lake Orion, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Lake Orion, MI by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.00 $20.00

3.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$69.1 $69.1

29.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.16 $9.16

44.00%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.53 $4.53

24.94%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.88 $2.88

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.70 $1.70

34.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.83 $5.83

17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.43 $6.43

37.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.74 $0.74

68.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.45 $2.45

51.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.65 $1.65

226.67%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.46 $4.46

6.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$15.40 $15.40

-10.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$7.70 $7.70

87.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.88 $14.88

23.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.10 $3.10

68.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.68 $1.68

17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.70 $2.70

50.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.28 $6.28

-20.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.09 $2.09

27.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.61 $3.61

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.85 $2.85

-21.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.49 $2.49

25.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.52 $10.52

31.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.14 $15.14

-1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.06 $2.06

23.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.61 $2.61

34.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.02 $2.02

20.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$58.0 $58.0

26.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.59 $4.59

-30.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.96 $1.96

-29.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$31.75 $31.75

-21.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.82 $0.82

46.34%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

28.63%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.12%

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

$194 $194

$128 $128

51.71%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$34.36 $34.36

102.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$49.45 $49.45

24.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$42.09 $42.09

13.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.84 $11.84

50.42%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$924 $924

94.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.1K $21.1K

51.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$50.5 $50.5

32.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$49.48 $49.48

5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$81.5 $81.5

24.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$80.0 $80.0

79.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,618 $1,618

56.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,324 $1,324

19.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,519 $2,519

88.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,937 $1,937

39.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,698 $2,698

55.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,344 $2,344

18.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,768 $4,768

3.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.82

-0.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lake Orion, MI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Lake Orion, MI

$1.3K 53.9% 16.1% $254

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Lake Orion, MI

$354 14.4% 20.9% $93

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Lake Orion, MI

$302 12.3% 12.4% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Lake Orion, MI

$212 8.6% 34.9% $114

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Lake Orion, MI

$118 4.8% 28.2% $46

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Lake Orion, MI

$80 3.3% 13.8% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Lake Orion, MI

$66 2.7% 21.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,618 in Lake Orion, 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 3% 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 in Chicago, IL versus $69 in Lake Orion, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $354 – making Lake Orion, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Lake Orion, MI

🕒 Local time

11:08 11:08 AM

12:08 12:08 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

3,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Lake Orion, MI 370 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 Lake Orion, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,456 in Lake Orion, MI – roughly 24% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,683 in Lake Orion, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lake Orion, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,618 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 in Chicago, IL and $69 in Lake Orion, MI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,456 in Lake Orion, MI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lake Orion, 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 Lake Orion, 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.