Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Plymouth, MI: $2,507 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Plymouth, MI
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Plymouth, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Plymouth, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,507

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,507 in Plymouth, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Plymouth, MI $2,507

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,844 in Plymouth, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Plymouth, MI $3,844

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,182 in Plymouth, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Plymouth, MI $5,182

Chicago, IL costs about 25% more than Plymouth, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Plymouth, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Plymouth, MI by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$12.69 $12.69

62.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$73.9 $73.9

22.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$8.10 $8.10

59.75%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$5.52 $5.52

1.45%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.02 $2.02

30.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.01 $1.01

124.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.96 $4.96

40.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$4.09 $4.09

115.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.83 $0.83

53.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.88 $2.88

31.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.50 $4.50

17.78%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.83 $2.83

68.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.10 $11.10

25.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$17.50 $17.50

-16.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$34.41 $34.41

-45.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.35 $3.35

54.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$6.63 $6.63

-40.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.54 $3.54

40.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$5.65 $5.65

-51.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$5.76 $5.76

-52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.10 $2.10

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.30 $2.30

29.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.90 $9.90

41.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$18.85 $18.85

-18.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.39 $2.39

7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$4.98 $4.98

-29.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.04 $2.04

21.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.16 $3.16

5.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$3.14 $3.14

-54.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$9.82 $9.82

147.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.00 $1.00

26.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

14.31%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

2.93%

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

$193 $193

$235 $235

-17.87%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$63.7 $63.7

7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$52.2 $52.2

17.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.66 $40.66

33.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.29 $12.29

44.34%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$659 $659

150.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$25.3K $25.3K

22.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$54.9 $54.9

20.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$49.14 $49.14

4.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$82.8 $82.8

20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$120 $120

17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,574 $1,574

55.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,204 $1,204

39.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,374 $2,374

98.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,301 $2,301

21.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,752 $2,752

49.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,336 $2,336

13.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$4,777 $4,777

1.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.56

3.81%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Plymouth, MI: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Plymouth, MI

$1.2K 48% 28.2% $474

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Plymouth, MI

$485 19.3% 7.9% $35

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Plymouth, MI

$237 9.5% 30.9% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Plymouth, MI

$351 14% 8.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Plymouth, MI

$138 5.5% 14.5% $23

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Plymouth, MI

$27 * 1.1% 71.6% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Plymouth, MI

$65 2.6% 27.2% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,574 in Plymouth, 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 2% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $74.0 in Plymouth, MI. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $485 in Plymouth, MI – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Plymouth, MI

🕒 Local time

02:37 2:37 AM

03:37 3:37 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

61,217

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Plymouth, MI 350 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 Plymouth, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,507 in Plymouth, MI – roughly 25% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,760 in Plymouth, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Plymouth, MI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $74.0 in Plymouth, MI. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,507 in Plymouth, MI. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,507 in Plymouth, MI to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Plymouth, 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.