Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Shelby Township, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Shelby Township, MI: $2,600 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Shelby Township, MI
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Shelby Township, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Shelby Township, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,600

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,600 in Shelby Township, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Shelby Township, MI $2,600

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,826 in Shelby Township, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Shelby Township, MI $3,826

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,052 in Shelby Township, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Shelby Township, MI $5,052

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Shelby Township, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Shelby Township, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Shelby Township, MI by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.02 $20.02

1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$73.7 $73.7

20.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$11.45 $11.45

12.23%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.99 $4.99

15.83%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.71 $2.71

1.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.05 $2.05

10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.94 $5.94

15.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$6.27 $6.27

47.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.17 $1.17

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.31 $3.31

7.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$5.01 $5.01

7.39%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$4.09 $4.09

11.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$13.66 $13.66

-0.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$11.82 $11.82

19.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$18.53 $18.53

-2.54%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.47 $4.47

15.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.58 $1.58

25.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.98 $3.98

-2.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.88 $4.88

-1.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.41 $2.41

16.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.52 $2.52

5.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.21 $2.21

-6.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.41 $2.41

25.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$9.03 $9.03

53.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.95 $14.95

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.24 $2.24

17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.01 $3.01

14.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.19 $2.19

10.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.7 $60.7

24.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.24 $3.24

-2.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.69 $1.69

0.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$28.53 $28.53

-12.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.12 $1.12

14.29%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$25.0K $25.0K

43.29%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$23.0K $23.0K

16.48%

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

$192 $192

$189 $189

1.43%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$58.2 $58.2

19.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$71.2 $71.2

-12.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$39.20 $39.20

21.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$14.83 $14.83

20.23%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$1,283 $1,283

41.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$21.2K $21.2K

91.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$57.1 $57.1

15.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$39.16 $39.16

31.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$90.2 $90.2

14.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$129 $129

10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,554 $1,554

62.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,267 $1,267

27.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,611 $2,611

84.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,121 $2,121

28.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,479 $2,479

67.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,311 $2,311

17.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

$4,797 $4,797

2.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.59

2.88%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Shelby Township, MI: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Shelby Township, MI

$1.3K 48.8% 21.8% $354

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Shelby Township, MI

$406 15.6% 7.5% $33

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Shelby Township, MI

$316 12.1% 8.2% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Shelby Township, MI

$319 12.3% 1.6% $5.2

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Shelby Township, MI

$142 5.5% 13.2% $22

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Shelby Township, MI

$81 3.1% 16.1% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Shelby Township, MI

$69 2.7% 17.5% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,554 in Shelby Township, 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 3% 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $74 in Shelby Township, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $406 – making Shelby Township, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Shelby Township, MI

🕒 Local time

09:30 9:30 AM

10:30 10:30 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

2,018

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Shelby Township, MI 220 km

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Shelby Township, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,600 in Shelby Township, MI – Shelby Township, MI comes out roughly 15% 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 $3,900 in Shelby Township, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shelby Township, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,554 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,072 in Chicago, IL and $2,600 in Shelby Township, MI. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Shelby Township, MI. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.