Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Saint Joseph, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Joseph, MI: $1,920 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 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 Saint Joseph, MI
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Saint Joseph, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Saint Joseph, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,920

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,920 in Saint Joseph, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Saint Joseph, MI $1,920

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,070 in Saint Joseph, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Saint Joseph, MI $3,070

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,219 in Saint Joseph, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Saint Joseph, MI $4,219

Chicago, IL costs about 58% more than Saint Joseph, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Saint Joseph, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Saint Joseph, MI by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$13.89 $13.89

49.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$73.9 $73.9

20.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$8.74 $8.74

50.92%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.01 $4.01

41.15%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.00 $3.00

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.04 $2.04

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.91 $3.91

75.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.97 $4.97

77.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.81 $0.81

54.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.86 $2.86

30.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.96 $2.96

82.09%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.53 $3.53

34.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$7.85 $7.85

76.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.53 $10.53

36.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$8.36 $8.36

119.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.71 $5.71

-8.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.53 $3.53

15.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.39 $5.39

-7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.75 $1.75

52.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.22 $3.22

-17.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.63 $1.63

37.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.46 $2.46

27.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$12.15 $12.15

13.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.21 $8.21

81.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.70 $1.70

49.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.30 $3.30

6.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.02 $2.02

20.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$53.9 $53.9

36.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.05 $3.05

4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.79 $1.79

-22.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.76 $29.76

-15.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.80 $0.80

50.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$24.4K $24.4K

43.36%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.97%

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

$194 $194

$172 $172

13.29%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.1 $51.1

36.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$51.9 $51.9

18.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$41.52 $41.52

15.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.59 $10.59

68.18%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,521 $1,521

17.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.4K $23.4K

36.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$40.22 $40.22

66.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$49.07 $49.07

6.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$76.1 $76.1

33.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$75.6 $75.6

90.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,075 $1,075

135.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$842 $842

87.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,887 $1,887

151.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,791 $1,791

50.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,773 $2,773

51.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,380 $2,380

16.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,999 $4,999

-1.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.43

5.91%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Saint Joseph, MI: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Saint Joseph, MI

$842 43.9% 46.6% $736

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Saint Joseph, MI

$323 16.8% 27.9% $125

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Saint Joseph, MI

$235 12.3% 31.8% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Saint Joseph, MI

$275 14.3% 15.7% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Saint Joseph, MI

$108 5.7% 33.9% $56

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Saint Joseph, MI

$74 3.9% 20.8% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Saint Joseph, MI

$63 3.3% 24.9% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,075 in Saint Joseph, 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 $74 in Saint Joseph, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $323 – making Saint Joseph, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Saint Joseph, MI

🕒 Local time

06:47 6:47 AM

07:47 7:47 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

76,780

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Saint Joseph, MI 98 km

From you

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 Saint Joseph, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,920 in Saint Joseph, MI – roughly 58% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,880 in Saint Joseph, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Joseph, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,075 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $74 in Saint Joseph, MI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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

For expats, Saint Joseph, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 58% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.