Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Three Rivers, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Three Rivers, MI: $2,781 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Three Rivers, MI
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Three Rivers, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Three Rivers, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,781

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,781 in Three Rivers, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Three Rivers, MI $2,781

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,005 in Three Rivers, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Three Rivers, MI $4,005

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,228 in Three Rivers, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Three Rivers, MI $5,228

Chicago, IL costs about 9% more than Three Rivers, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Three Rivers, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Three Rivers, MI by 104%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$18.43 $18.43

12.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$59.2 $59.2

50.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$12.02 $12.02

9.73%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.18 $5.18

9.27%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.90 $2.90

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.15 $2.15

6.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.47 $6.47

6.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.96 $7.96

11.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.00 $1.00

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.87 $3.87

-3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.08 $3.08

75.00%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.77 $3.77

25.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.40 $13.40

3.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.03 $13.03

10.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.81 $14.81

24.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.50 $5.50

-5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.87 $1.87

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.35 $3.35

21.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.70 $2.70

84.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.06 $2.06

29.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.70 $1.70

56.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.91 $1.91

17.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.95 $1.95

60.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.27 $10.27

34.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.22 $15.22

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.14 $2.14

18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.70 $3.70

-5.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.70 $1.70

42.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$67.4 $67.4

9.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.97 $2.97

7.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.57 $1.57

-11.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$26.23 $26.23

-4.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.06 $1.06

13.21%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.1K $30.1K

16.59%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.65%

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

$194 $194

$202 $202

-3.81%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$57.3 $57.3

21.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$72.8 $72.8

-15.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$44.43 $44.43

7.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.95 $12.95

37.53%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,984 $1,984

-9.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$20.4K $20.4K

56.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.8 $55.8

20.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$43.98 $43.98

18.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$115 $115

-11.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$105 $105

36.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,534 $1,534

64.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,455 $1,455

8.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,806 $2,806

68.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,410 $2,410

11.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,734 $2,734

53.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,337 $2,337

18.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.6

3.18%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Three Rivers, MI: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Three Rivers, MI

$1.5K 52.3% 7.8% $123

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Three Rivers, MI

$381 13.7% 14.9% $67

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Three Rivers, MI

$314 11.3% 8.9% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Three Rivers, MI

$332 12% 2.1% $6.7

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Three Rivers, MI

$144 5.2% 12.3% $20

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Three Rivers, MI

$85 3.1% 8.9% $8.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Three Rivers, MI

$70 2.5% 15.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,534 in Three Rivers, 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 $59 in Three Rivers, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $381 – making Three Rivers, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Three Rivers, MI

🕒 Local time

08:22 8:22 AM

09:22 9:22 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

7,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Three Rivers, MI 170 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 Three Rivers, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,781 in Three Rivers, MI – Three Rivers, MI comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,172 in Three Rivers, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Three Rivers, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,534 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $59 in Three Rivers, 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,781 in Three Rivers, 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 $2,781 in Three Rivers, MI to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Three Rivers, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 8% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.