Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Dearborn, MI: $2,625 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Dearborn, MI
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Dearborn, MI Living Index
147

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

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Dearborn, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,625

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dearborn, MI and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dearborn, MI and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,625 per month in Dearborn, MI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dearborn, MI $2,625
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,801 per month in Dearborn, MI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dearborn, MI $3,801
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,978 per month in Dearborn, MI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Dearborn, MI $4,978
Chicago, IL $5,999

Dearborn, MI is about 14% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dearborn, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Dearborn, MI by 93%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.32 $18.32

$20.71 $20.71

-11.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 $62.5

$89.2 $89.2

-29.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$13.19 $13.19

-15.85%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$5.66 $5.66

1.24%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.64 $2.64

-0.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.28 $2.28

-14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$6.87 $6.87

-15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$8.84 $8.84

-10.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.25 $1.25

-32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.72 $3.72

-11.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$5.39 $5.39

-17.44%

Eggs

$3.87 $3.87

$4.74 $4.74

-18.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$13.84 $13.84

-3.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 $11.14

$14.40 $14.40

-22.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.62 $16.62

$18.38 $18.38

-9.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$5.22 $5.22

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.98 $1.98

-22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$4.06 $4.06

2.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$4.97 $4.97

-21.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.67 $2.67

-4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.66 $2.66

13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.24 $2.24

-1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$3.13 $3.13

-33.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 $10.24

$13.82 $13.82

-25.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$14.88 $14.88

-0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.54 $2.54

-3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.51 $3.51

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.43 $2.43

-19.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 $63.1

$73.5 $73.5

-14.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.18 $3.18

-11.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.39 $1.39

13.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.55 $23.55

$25.03 $25.03

-5.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.20 $1.20

-10.00%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-2.83%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.57%

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

$216 $216

$194 $194

11.24%

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

$59.3 $59.3

$69.5 $69.5

-14.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$61.6 $61.6

10.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.28 $40.28

$47.90 $47.90

-15.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.48 $13.48

$17.81 $17.81

-24.31%

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

$1,253 $1,253

$1,794 $1,794

-30.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.4K $32.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

1.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$67.0 $67.0

-10.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.78 $40.78

$52.1 $52.1

-21.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$102 $102

-4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$144 $144

-18.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 $1,551

$2,526 $2,526

-38.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 $1,292

$1,578 $1,578

-18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,501 $2,501

$4,738 $4,738

-47.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 $2,136

$2,693 $2,693

-20.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,922 $1,922

$4,190 $4,190

-54.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,907 $1,907

$2,768 $2,768

-31.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,757 $3,757

$4,931 $4,931

-23.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.81

-4.70%

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

Last update for Dearborn, MI: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dearborn, MI

$1.3K 49.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 22.2% $286

Groceries & Markets

Dearborn, MI

$387 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 15.7% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dearborn, MI

$344 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.3% $18

Eating Out

Dearborn, MI

$312 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 10.6% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Dearborn, MI

$142 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 15.9% $22

Getting Around

Dearborn, MI

$82 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 14.5% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Dearborn, MI

$67 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 24.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,551 in Dearborn, MI versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. 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 31% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Dearborn, MI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $447 – making Dearborn, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dearborn, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:57 6:57 PM

17:57 5:57 PM

1 h behind Dearborn, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,382

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Dearborn, MI Chicago, IL 370 km

From you

Dearborn, MI
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,625 in Dearborn, MI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Dearborn, MI comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,937 per month in Dearborn, MI and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dearborn, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,551 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Dearborn, MI and $89 in Chicago, IL. 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 $2,625 in Dearborn, MI and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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