Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Saginaw, MI: $1,932 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 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
93

Cost of Living Index in Saginaw, MI
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Saginaw, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Saginaw, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,932

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,932 in Saginaw, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Saginaw, MI $1,932

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,135 in Saginaw, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Saginaw, MI $3,135

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,338 in Saginaw, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Saginaw, MI $4,338

Chicago, IL costs about 59% more than Saginaw, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Saginaw, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Saginaw, MI by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.28 $20.28

0.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$64.4 $64.4

37.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$10.19 $10.19

26.10%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.49 $5.49

5.28%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.17 $2.17

26.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.53 $1.53

47.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.01 $5.01

37.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$4.89 $4.89

88.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.96 $0.96

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.38 $3.38

5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.00 $4.00

34.50%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$3.15 $3.15

44.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$11.27 $11.27

21.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$9.92 $9.92

41.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$16.03 $16.03

12.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.25 $3.25

58.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.50 $1.50

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.54 $4.54

-14.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.67 $3.67

31.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.63 $2.63

6.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.03 $2.03

31.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.53 $2.53

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.27 $2.27

33.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.75 $9.75

42.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$13.57 $13.57

10.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.02 $2.02

30.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.07 $3.07

12.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.54 $1.54

57.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$40.25 $40.25

87.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.56 $2.56

23.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.43 $2.43

-30.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$39.56 $39.56

-37.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.02 $1.02

25.49%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$31.2K $31.2K

14.69%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.90%

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

$192 $192

$176 $176

8.82%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$25.10 $25.10

177.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$39.67 $39.67

56.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$11.98 $11.98

48.83%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,689 $1,689

7.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$19.7K $19.7K

105.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$45.70 $45.70

44.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$39.23 $39.23

31.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$73.0 $73.0

41.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$77.2 $77.2

84.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$825 $825

206.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$833 $833

94.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$1,310 $1,310

268.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,901 $1,901

43.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$1,213 $1,213

243.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$1,225 $1,225

122.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.51

4.15%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Saginaw, MI: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Saginaw, MI

$833 43.1% 48.6% $788

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Saginaw, MI

$358 18.5% 18.5% $81

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Saginaw, MI

$308 16% 10.4% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Saginaw, MI

$241 12.5% 25.5% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Saginaw, MI

$106 5.5% 35.3% $58

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Saginaw, MI

$61 3.2% 36.8% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Saginaw, MI

$24 * 1.2% 71.3% $59

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 $825 in Saginaw, 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 $64 in Saginaw, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $358 – making Saginaw, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Saginaw, MI

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

04:42 4:42 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

44,202

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $1,932 in Saginaw, MI – Saginaw, MI comes out roughly 37% 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 $2,898 in Saginaw, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saginaw, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $825 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $64 in Saginaw, 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 Saginaw, MI, where all-in costs run around $1,932, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Saginaw, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Saginaw, 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.