Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Mount Pleasant, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Mount Pleasant, MI: $1,901 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 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
92

Cost of Living Index in Mount Pleasant, MI
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Mount Pleasant, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Mount Pleasant, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,901

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,901 in Mount Pleasant, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Mount Pleasant, MI $1,901

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,743 in Mount Pleasant, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Mount Pleasant, MI $2,743

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,585 in Mount Pleasant, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Mount Pleasant, MI $3,585

Chicago, IL costs about 60% more than Mount Pleasant, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Mount Pleasant, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Mount Pleasant, MI by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$17.68 $17.68

17.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$62.2 $62.2

43.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$13.06 $13.06

1.00%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$3.92 $3.92

44.39%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.61 $1.61

63.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.93 $1.93

18.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.95 $3.95

73.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.53 $5.53

59.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.68 $0.68

83.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.02 $3.02

23.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.32 $3.32

62.35%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$1.80 $1.80

163.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.04 $10.04

37.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.24 $11.24

28.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.51 $15.51

18.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.45 $3.45

51.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 $1.61

22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.84 $2.84

42.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.68 $4.68

6.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.51 $2.51

6.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.11 $3.11

-14.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.98 $1.98

13.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$0.43 $0.43

627.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.31 $10.31

34.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.05 $13.05

14.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.16 $3.16

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.51 $1.51

132.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.05 $2.05

18.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$39.92 $39.92

84.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.04 $3.04

4.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.60 $1.60

-13.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$23.90 $23.90

4.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.00 $1.00

20.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.0K $30.0K

16.90%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.35%

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

$194 $194

$214 $214

-8.97%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.9 $58.9

17.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.5 $69.5

-11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$20.03 $20.03

139.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.10 $10.10

76.34%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,378 $1,378

30.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$32.5K $32.5K

-1.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$60.0 $60.0

11.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.05 $41.05

27.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$97.2 $97.2

4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$117 $117

22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$812 $812

211.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$722 $722

118.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,355 $1,355

249.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,063 $1,063

153.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,448 $1,448

189.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,460 $1,460

89.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$6,261 $6,261

-21.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

5.12

33.01%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mount Pleasant, MI: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$722 37.9% 54.3% $856

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$324 17% 27.6% $123

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$273 14.3% 21% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$342 18% 5.1% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$142 7.5% 13.5% $22

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$59 3.1% 36.7% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Mount Pleasant, MI

$40 2.1% 51.8% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $812 in Mount Pleasant, 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 27% higher in Mount Pleasant, MI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $62 in Mount Pleasant, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $324 – making Mount Pleasant, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Mount Pleasant, MI

🕒 Local time

03:03 3:03 AM

04:03 4:03 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

15,202

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Mount Pleasant, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,901 in Mount Pleasant, MI – Mount Pleasant, MI comes out roughly 37% 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 $2,852 in Mount Pleasant, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mount Pleasant, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $812 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $62 in Mount Pleasant, 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 Mount Pleasant, MI, where all-in costs run around $1,901, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Mount Pleasant, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Mount Pleasant, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 37% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.