Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Marquette, MI: $2,125 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 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
104

Cost of Living Index in Marquette, MI
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Marquette, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Marquette, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,125

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,125 in Marquette, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Marquette, MI $2,125

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,339 in Marquette, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Marquette, MI $3,339

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,552 in Marquette, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Marquette, MI $4,552

Chicago, IL costs about 43% more than Marquette, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Marquette, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Marquette, MI by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.86 $16.86

22.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$56.5 $56.5

58.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.19 $10.19

29.44%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.16 $6.16

-8.12%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.51 $2.51

5.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.54 $1.54

48.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.41 $5.41

26.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.79 $6.79

30.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.01 $1.01

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.22 $4.22

-11.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.73 $3.73

44.50%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.17 $4.17

13.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.92 $11.92

16.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.40 $8.40

71.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.14 $17.14

7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.21 $4.21

23.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.37 $2.37

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.37 $4.37

-7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.62 $4.62

7.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.84 $2.84

-5.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.55 $2.55

4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.17 $2.17

3.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.95 $1.95

60.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.13 $10.13

36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.96 $14.96

-0.53%

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

$1.63 $1.63

115.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.82 $1.82

33.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$60.8 $60.8

20.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.52 $3.52

-9.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.58 $1.58

-12.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$31.39 $31.39

-20.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.99 $0.99

21.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$25.9K $25.9K

35.34%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.0K $24.0K

11.27%

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

$194 $194

$183 $183

6.28%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.7 $58.7

18.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$44.47 $44.47

38.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$39.45 $39.45

21.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.18 $10.18

74.95%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,319 $1,319

36.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$22.4K $22.4K

42.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.9 $52.9

26.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.40 $40.40

29.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$90.2 $90.2

12.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$129 $129

11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,298 $1,298

94.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$886 $886

78.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,393 $2,393

98.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,868 $1,868

44.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,466 $2,466

69.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,438 $2,438

13.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 25, 2026

Last update for Marquette, MI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Marquette, MI

$886 41.7% 43.9% $692

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Marquette, MI

$377 17.8% 15.6% $70

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Marquette, MI

$296 13.9% 14.1% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Marquette, MI

$286 13.5% 12.1% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Marquette, MI

$140 6.6% 14.4% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Marquette, MI

$80 3.7% 14.9% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Marquette, MI

$60 2.8% 28.4% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,298 in Marquette, 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 $56 in Marquette, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $377 – making Marquette, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Marquette, MI

🕒 Local time

23:58 11:58 PM

00:58 12:58 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

20,488

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Marquette, MI 520 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,125 in Marquette, MI – Marquette, MI comes out roughly 30% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,188 in Marquette, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marquette, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,298 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $56 in Marquette, MI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Marquette, MI, where all-in costs run around $2,125, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Marquette, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Marquette, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 30% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.