Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Rochester, MI: $2,366 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,500 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
112

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, MI
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Rochester, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Rochester, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,366

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,366 in Rochester, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Rochester, MI $2,366

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,382 in Rochester, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Rochester, MI $3,382

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,398 in Rochester, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Rochester, MI $4,398

Chicago, IL costs about 30% more than Rochester, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Rochester, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Rochester, MI by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$16.32 $16.32

24.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$74.6 $74.6

18.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$12.10 $12.10

6.20%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.28 $5.28

9.47%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.87 $2.87

-4.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.20 $2.20

2.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$4.88 $4.88

40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$5.83 $5.83

58.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.84 $0.84

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.92 $2.92

21.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.40 $3.40

58.24%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$2.75 $2.75

65.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.06 $11.06

23.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$17.52 $17.52

-19.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$10.86 $10.86

66.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.34 $3.34

54.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.55 $1.55

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.35 $4.35

-10.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.54 $3.54

36.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.23 $2.23

26.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.24 $2.24

19.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.03 $1.03

100.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$5.46 $5.46

-44.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.95 $9.95

39.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.95 $14.95

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.33 $2.33

12.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$4.99 $4.99

-30.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$10.18 $10.18

-68.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.15 $3.15

-46.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$10.10 $10.10

146.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.97 $0.97

31.96%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$30.6K $30.6K

17.12%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.74%

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

$192 $192

$133 $133

44.68%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$64.1 $64.1

8.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$52.3 $52.3

18.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$22.32 $22.32

114.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

$34.76 $34.76

-22.04%

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$9.91 $9.91

79.92%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$644 $644

181.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$10.0K $10.0K

304.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$61.4 $61.4

7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$49.83 $49.83

3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

-0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$118 $118

20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,182 $1,182

114.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,203 $1,203

34.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,196 $2,196

119.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,726 $1,726

58.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$4,261 $4,261

-2.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,197 $2,197

23.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$5,476 $5,476

-10.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.56

3.35%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Rochester, MI: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Rochester, MI

$1.2K 50.9% 25.8% $418

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Rochester, MI

$409 17.3% 6.9% $30

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Rochester, MI

$287 12.1% 16.7% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Rochester, MI

$249 10.5% 23.1% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Rochester, MI

$150 6.3% 8.5% $14

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Rochester, MI

$26 * 1.1% 73.2% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Rochester, MI

$42 1.8% 49.5% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,182 in Rochester, 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 11% higher in Rochester, 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 $75 in Rochester, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $409 – making Rochester, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Rochester, MI

🕒 Local time

09:49 9:49 AM

10:49 10:49 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

211,328

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Rochester, MI 380 km

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,366 in Rochester, MI – Rochester, MI comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,548 in Rochester, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rochester, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,182 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $75 in Rochester, MI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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