Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Flint, MI: $1,781 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

85

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

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

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Flint, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,781

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,781 per month in Flint, MI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Flint, MI $1,781
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,688 per month in Flint, MI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Flint, MI $2,688
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,595 per month in Flint, MI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Flint, MI $3,595
Chicago, IL $5,999

Flint, MI is about 41% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Flint, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Flint, MI by 31%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 $15.09

$20.71 $20.71

-27.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.4 $66.4

$89.2 $89.2

-25.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 $9.93

$13.19 $13.19

-24.72%

Cappuccino

$5.33 $5.33

$5.66 $5.66

-5.83%

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

$2.15 $2.15

$2.64 $2.64

-18.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.28 $2.28

-32.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$6.87 $6.87

-25.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 $4.86

$8.84 $8.84

-45.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.25 $1.25

-41.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.72 $3.72

-16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$5.39 $5.39

-22.08%

Eggs

$3.16 $3.16

$4.74 $4.74

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 $9.00

$13.84 $13.84

-34.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 $10.12

$14.40 $14.40

-29.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 $13.11

$18.38 $18.38

-28.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$5.22 $5.22

-35.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.98 $1.98

-24.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.06 $4.06

8.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$4.97 $4.97

-22.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.67 $2.67

-4.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.66 $2.66

-22.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.24 $2.24

16.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$3.13 $3.13

-35.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.80 $9.80

$13.82 $13.82

-29.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 $9.88

$14.88 $14.88

-33.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.54 $2.54

-23.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.51 $3.51

-13.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.43 $2.43

-30.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 $55.8

$73.5 $73.5

-24.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.18 $3.18

-22.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.39 $1.39

82.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.58 $39.58

$25.03 $25.03

58.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.20 $1.20

-22.50%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-12.06%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

-1.75%

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

$176 $176

$194 $194

-9.44%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$69.5 $69.5

-13.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.13 $49.13

$61.6 $61.6

-20.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 $29.77

$47.90 $47.90

-37.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.2 $64.2

$27.34 $27.34

134.64%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$17.81 $17.81

-32.00%

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

$1,696 $1,696

$1,794 $1,794

-5.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K $14.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-56.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.04 $20.04

$67.0 $67.0

-70.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.63 $24.63

$52.1 $52.1

-52.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.7 $50.7

$102 $102

-50.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.49 $40.49

$144 $144

-71.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 $858

$2,526 $2,526

-66.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 $709

$1,578 $1,578

-55.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$968 $968

$4,738 $4,738

-79.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 $1,170

$2,693 $2,693

-56.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 $1,535

$4,190 $4,190

-63.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,507 $1,507

$2,768 $2,768

-45.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,835 $2,835

$4,931 $4,931

-42.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

6.81

-28.78%

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

Last update for Flint, MI: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Flint, MI

$709 39.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 123% $869

Groceries & Markets

Flint, MI

$329 18.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 35.9% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Flint, MI

$285 16%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 14.1% $40

Eating Out

Flint, MI

$265 14.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 30.4% $80

Getting Around

Flint, MI

$78 4.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 20.1% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Flint, MI

$61 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 168% $103

Sport & Entertainment

Flint, MI

$54 3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 54.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $858 in Flint, 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 74% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Flint, MI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $447 – making Flint, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Flint, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:05 8:05 AM

07:05 7:05 AM

1 h behind Flint, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,865

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Flint, MI Chicago, IL 350 km

From you

Flint, MI
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,781 in Flint, MI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Flint, MI comes out roughly 41% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,671 per month in Flint, 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 Flint, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $858 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66 in Flint, MI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Flint, MI, where all-in costs run around $1,781, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Flint, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Flint, 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 Flint, 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.