Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Madison Heights, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Madison Heights, MI: $2,513 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Madison Heights, MI
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Madison Heights, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Madison Heights, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,513

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,513 in Madison Heights, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Madison Heights, MI $2,513

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,638 in Madison Heights, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Madison Heights, MI $3,638

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,764 in Madison Heights, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Madison Heights, MI $4,764

Chicago, IL costs about 22% more than Madison Heights, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Madison Heights, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Madison Heights, MI by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$18.05 $18.05

12.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$63.3 $63.3

39.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.82 $10.82

18.76%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.52 $5.52

4.71%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.59 $2.59

5.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.00 $2.00

13.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$6.05 $6.05

13.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$8.18 $8.18

12.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.85 $0.85

48.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.35 $3.35

5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.35 $4.35

23.68%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.82 $3.82

19.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.31 $13.31

2.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.51 $11.51

22.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.45 $16.45

9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$5.12 $5.12

0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.53 $1.53

29.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.06 $4.06

-4.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.91 $3.91

23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.45 $2.45

14.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.98 $2.98

-10.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.25 $2.25

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.16 $2.16

40.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.97 $9.97

39.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.82 $14.82

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.44 $2.44

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.43 $3.43

0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.76 $1.76

38.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.9 $60.9

23.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.67 $2.67

18.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.44 $1.44

18.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$24.45 $24.45

1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.07 $1.07

19.63%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$34.3K $34.3K

4.26%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.14%

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

$192 $192

$215 $215

-10.59%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$60.5 $60.5

14.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$69.7 $69.7

-10.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$43.48 $43.48

9.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$11.87 $11.87

50.21%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,034 $1,034

75.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$20.4K $20.4K

98.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$59.8 $59.8

10.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$39.19 $39.19

31.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$95.9 $95.9

7.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$116 $116

23.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,348 $1,348

87.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,186 $1,186

36.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,184 $2,184

121.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,930 $1,930

41.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,802 $2,802

48.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,166 $2,166

25.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.49

4.47%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Madison Heights, MI: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Madison Heights, MI

$1.2K 47.2% 26.8% $435

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Madison Heights, MI

$389 15.5% 11.4% $50

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Madison Heights, MI

$308 12.3% 10.5% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Madison Heights, MI

$345 13.7% 6.5% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Madison Heights, MI

$140 5.6% 14.6% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Madison Heights, MI

$78 3.1% 19.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Madison Heights, MI

$67 2.7% 19.5% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,348 in Madison Heights, 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 Madison Heights, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $389 – making Madison Heights, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Madison Heights, MI

🕒 Local time

21:44 9:44 PM

22:44 10:44 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

30,042

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Madison Heights, MI 380 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 Madison Heights, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,513 in Madison Heights, MI – Madison Heights, MI comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,769 in Madison Heights, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madison Heights, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,348 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 Madison Heights, 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 $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,513 in Madison Heights, MI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Madison Heights, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 18% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.