Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Troy, MI: $2,302 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 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
110

Cost of Living Index in Troy, MI
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Troy, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Troy, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,302

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,302 in Troy, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Troy, MI $2,302

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,520 in Troy, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Troy, MI $3,520

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,739 in Troy, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Troy, MI $4,739

Chicago, IL costs about 32% more than Troy, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Troy, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Troy, MI by 69%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$16.23 $16.23

27.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$73.9 $73.9

20.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.68 $10.68

23.50%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.46 $4.46

26.91%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.53 $2.53

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.81 $1.81

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.13 $5.13

33.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.89 $5.89

50.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.74 $0.74

68.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.99 $2.99

24.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.47 $4.47

20.58%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.87 $2.87

65.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$10.99 $10.99

25.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$8.50 $8.50

69.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$14.77 $14.77

24.44%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.42 $3.42

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.07 $1.07

85.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$3.38 $3.38

20.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.32 $4.32

15.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.59 $2.59

3.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.04 $3.04

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.12 $2.12

5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.48 $2.48

26.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.02 $9.02

53.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.14 $14.14

5.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.56 $1.56

62.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.43 $2.43

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.92 $2.92

-16.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$9.88 $9.88

-67.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.04 $3.04

-54.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$9.93 $9.93

152.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.94 $0.94

27.66%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.1K $31.1K

12.77%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.1K $24.1K

10.77%

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

$194 $194

$172 $172

13.27%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$42.61 $42.61

62.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$43.78 $43.78

40.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.38 $34.38

39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$35.83 $35.83

-23.70%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$10.18 $10.18

74.95%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,755 $1,755

2.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$15.3K $15.3K

109.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$52.3 $52.3

28.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$22.24 $22.24

134.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$81.5 $81.5

24.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$91.8 $91.8

56.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,341 $1,341

88.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,233 $1,233

28.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,374 $2,374

99.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,288 $2,288

17.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,679 $2,679

56.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,297 $2,297

20.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$5,482 $5,482

-10.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.67

2.10%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Troy, MI: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Troy, MI

$1.2K 53.5% 21.9% $345

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Troy, MI

$338 14.7% 24.4% $109

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Troy, MI

$270 11.7% 21.7% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Troy, MI

$258 11.2% 20.7% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Troy, MI

$112 4.8% 32% $52

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Troy, MI

$37 * 1.6% 60.7% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Troy, MI

$55 2.4% 34.5% $29

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,341 in Troy, 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 11% higher in Troy, MI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $74 in Troy, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $338 – making Troy, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Troy, MI

🕒 Local time

15:33 3:33 PM

16:33 4:33 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

51,401

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Troy, MI 380 km

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,302 in Troy, MI – Troy, MI comes out roughly 24% 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 $3,453 in Troy, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Troy, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,341 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

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

Groceries cost about 32% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,302 in Troy, 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 $2,302 in Troy, MI to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.