Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Traverse City, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Traverse City, MI: $2,666 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Traverse City, MI
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Traverse City, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Traverse City, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,666

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,666 in Traverse City, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Traverse City, MI $2,666

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,947 in Traverse City, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Traverse City, MI $3,947

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,228 in Traverse City, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Traverse City, MI $5,228

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than Traverse City, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chicago, IL and Traverse City, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Traverse City, MI by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$21.49 $21.49

-3.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$77.4 $77.4

16.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$11.34 $11.34

14.11%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.78 $4.78

17.15%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.48 $2.48

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.08 $2.08

9.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.90 $4.90

42.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.53 $6.53

35.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.73 $0.73

73.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.07 $3.07

23.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.36 $4.36

21.56%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$2.67 $2.67

78.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$19.14 $19.14

-27.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$12.34 $12.34

18.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$22.33 $22.33

-15.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$6.84 $6.84

-24.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.44 $1.44

37.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.84 $3.84

2.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.69 $6.69

-25.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.70 $2.70

2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.15 $3.15

-12.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.36 $2.36

-5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.64 $2.64

12.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$5.96 $5.96

135.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$15.02 $15.02

1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.00 $2.00

29.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$7.01 $7.01

-50.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$6.02 $6.02

-58.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$30.60 $30.60

144.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.02 $1.02

23.53%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

0.01%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

0.27%

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

$193 $193

$116 $116

66.06%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$37.85 $37.85

80.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$68.8 $68.8

-10.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$62.7 $62.7

-13.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$9.81 $9.81

80.84%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,017 $1,017

62.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$11.3K $11.3K

174.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$58.2 $58.2

13.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.93 $40.93

25.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$101 $101

-0.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$87.4 $87.4

61.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,958 $1,958

24.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,404 $1,404

19.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$3,796 $3,796

24.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,317 $2,317

20.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$3,395 $3,395

20.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$3,324 $3,324

-20.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,796 $2,796

74.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.32

7.75%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Traverse City, MI: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Traverse City, MI

$1.4K 52.7% 16.3% $274

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Traverse City, MI

$453 17% 0.9% $4

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Traverse City, MI

$319 12% 7.1% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Traverse City, MI

$223 8.4% 30.9% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Traverse City, MI

$129 4.9% 19.9% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Traverse City, MI

$55 * 2.1% 42.5% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Traverse City, MI

$82 3.1% 8.2% $7.3

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,958 in Traverse City, 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 74% 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $77.0 in Traverse City, MI. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $453 in Traverse City, MI – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Traverse City, MI

🕒 Local time

10:40 10:40 AM

11:40 11:40 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

15,678

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Traverse City, MI 360 km

From you

Chicago, IL
Traverse City, MI

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 Traverse City, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,666 in Traverse City, MI – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,998 in Traverse City, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Traverse City, MI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $77.0 in Traverse City, MI. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,139 in Chicago, IL and $2,666 in Traverse City, 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 $2,666 in Traverse City, MI to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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