Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ypsilanti, MI: $2,601 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 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
126

Cost of Living Index in Ypsilanti, MI
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Ypsilanti, MI Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Ypsilanti, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,601

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,601 in Ypsilanti, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Ypsilanti, MI $2,601

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,787 in Ypsilanti, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Ypsilanti, MI $3,787

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,972 in Ypsilanti, MI, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Ypsilanti, MI $4,972

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Ypsilanti, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Ypsilanti, MI sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Ypsilanti, MI by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$18.31 $18.31

12.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$60.2 $60.2

49.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$12.21 $12.21

5.98%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.91 $4.91

14.05%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.84 $2.84

-7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.10 $2.10

8.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$5.14 $5.14

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$6.95 $6.95

27.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.84 $0.84

51.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$3.15 $3.15

20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.63 $4.63

14.47%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.78 $3.78

25.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$16.87 $16.87

-17.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$14.00 $14.00

4.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.77 $17.77

5.63%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.55 $5.55

-6.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.88 $1.88

5.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.66 $3.66

7.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.52 $3.52

40.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.41 $2.41

14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.95 $2.95

-6.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.15 $2.15

3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.99 $1.99

49.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.89 $9.89

41.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$16.19 $16.19

-5.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.14 $2.14

20.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.81 $3.81

-8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.47 $1.47

68.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$45.25 $45.25

65.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.99 $2.99

11.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.56 $1.56

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$10.08 $10.08

141.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.95 $0.95

32.63%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.8K $30.8K

13.81%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.7K $25.7K

1.40%

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

$193 $193

$235 $235

-18.14%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$62.1 $62.1

9.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$71.5 $71.5

-14.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$35.17 $35.17

53.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$12.35 $12.35

43.64%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,123 $1,123

47.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$19.8K $19.8K

56.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$55.9 $55.9

18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$43.33 $43.33

18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$87.4 $87.4

14.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$119 $119

18.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,386 $1,386

76.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,257 $1,257

33.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$2,203 $2,203

114.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$2,130 $2,130

31.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$2,249 $2,249

82.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$5,502 $5,502

-51.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$2,274 $2,274

113.94%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Ypsilanti, MI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Ypsilanti, MI

$1.3K 48.3% 25.1% $421

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Ypsilanti, MI

$415 16% 7.7% $34

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Ypsilanti, MI

$301 11.6% 12.3% $42

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Ypsilanti, MI

$369 14.2% 14.5% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Ypsilanti, MI

$138 5.3% 14.6% $24

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Ypsilanti, MI

$62 2.4% 34.9% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Ypsilanti, MI

$60 2.3% 33.2% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,386 in Ypsilanti, 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 114% 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 $60.0 in Ypsilanti, MI. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $415 – making Ypsilanti, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Ypsilanti, MI

🕒 Local time

06:40 6:40 AM

07:40 7:40 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

20,648

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Ypsilanti, MI 330 km

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,601 in Ypsilanti, MI – roughly 21% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,902 in Ypsilanti, MI. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 8% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $60.0 in Ypsilanti, 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 Ypsilanti, MI, where all-in costs run around $2,601, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Ypsilanti, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,601 in Ypsilanti, MI to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ypsilanti, 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.