Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Livonia, MI: $2,274 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Livonia, MI
Learn more

Livonia, MI Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Livonia, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,274

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,274 in Livonia, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Livonia, MI $2,274

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,244 in Livonia, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Livonia, MI $3,244

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,215 in Livonia, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Livonia, MI $4,215

Chicago, IL costs about 34% more than Livonia, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Livonia, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Livonia, MI by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$25.20 $25.20

-17.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$63.4 $63.4

40.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.16 $13.16

0.23%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.93 $4.93

14.81%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.53 $2.53

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.97 $1.97

15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.87 $4.87

41.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.43 $6.43

37.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.50 $3.50

6.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.20 $5.20

3.65%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.02 $3.02

56.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.21 $10.21

35.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.09 $12.09

19.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.30 $16.30

12.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.37 $5.37

-2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.59 $1.59

24.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$8.57 $8.57

-52.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.26 $4.26

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.71 $2.71

-1.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.99 $2.99

-11.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.11 $2.11

6.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.44 $2.44

28.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.47 $10.47

32.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.24 $15.24

-2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.93 $1.93

31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.52 $3.52

-0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.35 $2.35

3.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$29.96 $29.96

145.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.07 $3.07

3.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.57 $1.57

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.75 $23.75

5.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.11 $1.11

8.11%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$33.6K $33.6K

4.19%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.87%

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

$194 $194

$163 $163

19.09%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$49.02 $49.02

41.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.6 $69.6

-11.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.65 $39.65

20.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.96 $11.96

48.91%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,380 $1,380

29.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

0.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$59.6 $59.6

12.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.13 $41.13

26.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$71.3 $71.3

42.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$118 $118

21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,162 $1,162

117.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$983 $983

60.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,573 $1,573

201.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,382 $1,382

94.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,819 $4,819

2.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.61

3.03%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Livonia, MI: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Livonia, MI

$983 43.2% 37.7% $595

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Livonia, MI

$409 18% 8.6% $39

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Livonia, MI

$355 15.6% 3% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Livonia, MI

$282 12.4% 13.4% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Livonia, MI

$131 5.7% 20.4% $33

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Livonia, MI

$50 2.2% 46.2% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Livonia, MI

$64 2.8% 23.9% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,162 in Livonia, MI. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $63 in Livonia, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $409 – making Livonia, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Livonia, MI

🕒 Local time

02:12 2:12 AM

03:12 3:12 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

96,736

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Livonia, MI 360 km

From you

Chicago, IL
Livonia, 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 Livonia, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,274 in Livonia, MI – Livonia, MI comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,411 in Livonia, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Livonia, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,162 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $63 in Livonia, MI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

For expats, Livonia, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 25% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.