Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Livonia, MI: $2,274 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Livonia, MI, United States
Chicago, IL, United States
Livonia, MI
🇺🇸 United States
$2,274
/mo nomad
Chicago, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$3,037
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,274 per month in Livonia, MI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Livonia, MI $2,274
  • Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,244 per month in Livonia, MI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Livonia, MI $3,244
  • Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,215 per month in Livonia, MI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

  • Livonia, MI $4,215
  • Chicago, IL $5,999

Livonia, MI is about 25% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Livonia, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Livonia, MI by 67%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Livonia, MI
Chicago, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.20 $25.20
$20.71 $20.71
21.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.4 $63.4
$89.2 $89.2
-29.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.16 $13.16
$13.19 $13.19
-0.23%
Cappuccino
$4.93 $4.93
$5.66 $5.66
-12.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53 $2.53
$2.64 $2.64
-4.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$2.28 $2.28
-13.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.87 $4.87
$6.87 $6.87
-29.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.43 $6.43
$8.84 $8.84
-27.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Livonia, MI
Chicago, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.25 $1.25
-20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.50 $3.50
$3.72 $3.72
-5.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.20 $5.20
$5.39 $5.39
-3.53%
Eggs
$3.02 $3.02
$4.74 $4.74
-36.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.21 $10.21
$13.84 $13.84
-26.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.09 $12.09
$14.40 $14.40
-16.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.30 $16.30
$18.38 $18.38
-11.32%
Apples (1kg)
$5.37 $5.37
$5.22 $5.22
2.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 $1.59
$1.98 $1.98
-19.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.57 $8.57
$4.06 $4.06
111.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.26 $4.26
$4.97 $4.97
-14.29%
Potato (1kg)
$2.71 $2.71
$2.67 $2.67
1.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.99 $2.99
$2.66 $2.66
12.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.11 $2.11
$2.24 $2.24
-5.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$3.13 $3.13
-22.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.47 $10.47
$13.82 $13.82
-24.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.24 $15.24
$14.88 $14.88
2.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 $1.93
$2.54 $2.54
-24.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.52 $3.52
$3.51 $3.51
0.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Livonia, MI
Chicago, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.35 $2.35
$2.43 $2.43
-3.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.96 $29.96
$73.5 $73.5
-59.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.07 $3.07
$3.18 $3.18
-3.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 $1.57
$1.39 $1.39
12.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.75 $23.75
$25.03 $25.03
-5.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.20 $1.20
-7.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.6K $33.6K
$35.0K $35.0K
-4.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$26.7K $26.7K
-3.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Livonia, MI
Chicago, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$163 $163
$194 $194
-16.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$49.02 $49.02
$69.5 $69.5
-29.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.6 $69.6
$61.6 $61.6
12.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Livonia, MI
Chicago, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.65 $39.65
$47.90 $47.90
-17.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.34 $27.34
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.96 $11.96
$17.81 $17.81
-32.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Livonia, MI
Chicago, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,380 $1,380
$1,794 $1,794
-23.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$31.9K $31.9K
$31.9K $31.9K
-0.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Livonia, MI
Chicago, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.6 $59.6
$67.0 $67.0
-11.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.13 $41.13
$52.1 $52.1
-21.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.3 $71.3
$102 $102
-29.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118 $118
$144 $144
-17.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Livonia, MI
Chicago, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,162 $1,162
$2,526 $2,526
-54.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$983 $983
$1,578 $1,578
-37.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,573 $1,573
$4,738 $4,738
-66.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,382 $1,382
$2,693 $2,693
-48.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,190 $4,190
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,768 $2,768
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Livonia, MI
Chicago, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,819 $4,819
$4,931 $4,931
-2.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.61
6.81
-2.94%

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

Last update for Livonia, MI: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Livonia, MI
$983
Chicago, IL
$1.6K 60.5% $595
Groceries & Markets
Livonia, MI
$409
Chicago, IL
$447 9.4% $39
Eating Out
Livonia, MI
$355
Chicago, IL
$345 2.9% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Livonia, MI
$282
Chicago, IL
$326 15.5% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Livonia, MI
$131
Chicago, IL
$164 25.7% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Livonia, MI
$64
Chicago, IL
$84 31.4% $20
Getting Around
Livonia, MI
$50
Chicago, IL
$93 85.7% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,162 in Livonia, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Livonia, MI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $409 vs $447 – making Livonia, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Livonia, MI
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL
🕒 Local time
02:14 2:14 AM
01:14 1:14 AM
1 h behind Livonia, MI
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
96,736
2,746,388
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Livonia, MI Chicago, IL 360 km
From you
  • Livonia, MI
  • Chicago, IL

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
Livonia, MI vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Livonia, MI and in Chicago, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,274 in Livonia, MI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Livonia, MI comes out roughly 25% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Livonia, MI compared to Chicago, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,411 per month in Livonia, MI and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Livonia, MI and Chicago, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Livonia, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,162 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 9% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $63 in Livonia, MI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Where should families live: Livonia, MI or Chicago, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Livonia, MI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Livonia, MI or Chicago, IL?
For expats, Livonia, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 25% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Livonia, MI vs other spots: cost of living compared

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