Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Waterford, MI: $2,355 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 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
120

Cost of Living Index in Waterford, MI
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Waterford, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Waterford, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,355

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,072 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,355 in Waterford, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,072
Waterford, MI $2,355

A couple spends around $4,545 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,740 in Waterford, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,545
Waterford, MI $3,740

A family of three spends $6,019 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,125 in Waterford, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,019
Waterford, MI $5,125

Chicago, IL costs about 30% more than Waterford, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Waterford, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 127%, Waterford, MI by 74%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$18.31 $18.31

11.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$73.9 $73.9

19.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$9.47 $9.47

35.69%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.39 $4.39

31.66%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.88 $2.88

-4.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.73 $1.73

30.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.85 $5.85

17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.24 $9.24

$4.55 $4.55

103.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.83 $0.83

51.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.74 $3.74

-5.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.27 $3.27

64.53%

Eggs

$4.55 $4.55

$2.05 $2.05

121.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$10.93 $10.93

24.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.07 $14.07

$13.78 $13.78

2.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.06 $18.06

$14.89 $14.89

21.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.98 $4.98

3.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.07 $1.07

85.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.49 $5.49

-29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$4.29 $4.29

12.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.10 $2.10

33.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.59 $3.59

-25.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.26 $2.26

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.47 $2.47

22.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$10.43 $10.43

33.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$15.21 $15.21

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.04 $2.04

28.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.51 $2.51

37.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.03 $2.03

19.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 $75.3

$59.9 $59.9

25.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.64 $4.64

-31.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.96 $1.96

-13.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.90 $24.90

$31.56 $31.56

-21.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.07 $1.07

19.63%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

32.04%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.74%

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

$192 $192

$133 $133

44.79%

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

$69.6 $69.6

$50.7 $50.7

37.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$72.6 $72.6

-14.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.79 $47.79

$38.79 $38.79

23.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$13.70 $13.70

30.15%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$903 $903

101.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$14.4K $14.4K

182.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$64.4 $64.4

2.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$78.3 $78.3

-34.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$97.9 $97.9

5.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$116 $116

23.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,531 $2,531

$1,649 $1,649

53.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$1,120 $1,120

44.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,828 $4,828

$2,228 $2,228

116.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,734 $2,734

$2,338 $2,338

16.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,163 $4,163

$2,681 $2,681

55.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,723 $2,723

$2,124 $2,124

28.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,924 $4,924

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

6.93

-2.16%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Last update for Waterford, MI: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8%

Waterford, MI

$1.1K 47.6% 30.9% $501

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3%

Waterford, MI

$386 16.4% 12.1% $53

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2%

Waterford, MI

$284 12.1% 17.3% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5%

Waterford, MI

$256 10.9% 21% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3%

Waterford, MI

$160 6.8% 2.1% $3.4

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2%

Waterford, MI

$83 3.5% 14.6% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7%

Waterford, MI

$66 2.8% 20.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,531 in Chicago, IL versus $1,649 in Waterford, 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 Waterford, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $386 – making Waterford, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Waterford, MI

🕒 Local time

02:59 2:59 AM

03:59 3:59 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

19,517

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Waterford, MI 360 km

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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 Waterford, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,072 in Chicago, IL, $2,355 in Waterford, MI – Waterford, MI comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,608 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,532 in Waterford, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waterford, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,649 there versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 Waterford, MI. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Waterford, MI, where all-in costs run around $2,355, than in Chicago, IL at $3,072. In Waterford, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Waterford, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 23% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.