Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Monroe, MI: $2,218 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

107

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

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

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Monroe, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,218

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,218 per month in Monroe, MI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Monroe, MI $2,218
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,096 per month in Monroe, MI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Monroe, MI $3,096
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,975 per month in Monroe, MI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Monroe, MI $3,975
Chicago, IL $5,999

Monroe, MI is about 27% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Monroe, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Monroe, MI by 63%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.04 $12.04

$20.71 $20.71

-41.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.27 $32.27

$89.2 $89.2

-63.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.36 $8.36

$13.19 $13.19

-36.62%

Cappuccino

$3.48 $3.48

$5.66 $5.66

-38.52%

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

$1.47 $1.47

$2.64 $2.64

-44.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.28 $2.28

-54.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 $3.97

$6.87 $6.87

-42.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$8.84 $8.84

-43.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.25 $1.25

-37.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.72 $3.72

-24.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.39 $5.39

-14.84%

Eggs

$2.19 $2.19

$4.74 $4.74

-53.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.17 $11.17

$13.84 $13.84

-19.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$14.40 $14.40

17.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$35.13 $35.13

$18.38 $18.38

91.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$5.22 $5.22

-35.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.98 $1.98

-20.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$4.06 $4.06

61.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$4.97 $4.97

-27.36%

Potato (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$2.67 $2.67

117.60%

Onion (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$2.66 $2.66

116.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.24 $2.24

-4.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.13 $3.13

-29.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.29 $8.29

$13.82 $13.82

-40.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.62 $18.62

$14.88 $14.88

25.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.54 $2.54

-9.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.51 $3.51

41.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.43 $2.43

-18.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 $56.8

$73.5 $73.5

-22.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.18 $3.18

-0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.39 $1.39

118.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 $10.16

$25.03 $25.03

-59.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.20 $1.20

-28.33%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-14.39%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.43%

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

$229 $229

$194 $194

17.96%

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

$65.1 $65.1

$69.5 $69.5

-6.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 $51.9

$61.6 $61.6

-15.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.45 $41.45

$47.90 $47.90

-13.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 $8.53

$17.81 $17.81

-52.11%

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

$645 $645

$1,794 $1,794

-64.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

-26.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 $55.2

$67.0 $67.0

-17.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$52.1 $52.1

-3.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 $81.3

$102 $102

-19.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$144 $144

-17.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 $1,008

$2,526 $2,526

-60.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 $910

$1,578 $1,578

-42.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,383 $1,383

$4,738 $4,738

-70.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$2,693 $2,693

-52.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,855 $1,855

$4,190 $4,190

-55.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,818 $1,818

$2,768 $2,768

-34.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,905 $5,905

$4,931 $4,931

19.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.81

-3.67%

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

Last update for Monroe, 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

Monroe, MI

$910 41%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 73.4% $668

Groceries & Markets

Monroe, MI

$480 21.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 6.8% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monroe, MI

$346 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 6% $21

Eating Out

Monroe, MI

$203 9.2%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 70% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Monroe, MI

$137 6.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 19.3% $27

Getting Around

Monroe, MI

$83 3.8%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 12.4% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Monroe, MI

$59 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 42.7% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Monroe, 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 20% higher in Monroe, MI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Monroe, MI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $480 in Monroe, MI vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Monroe, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:09 6:09 AM

05:09 5:09 AM

1 h behind Monroe, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

47,702

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Monroe, MI Chicago, IL 350 km

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Monroe, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,218 in Monroe, MI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Monroe, MI comes out roughly 27% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,327 per month in Monroe, 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 Monroe, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,008 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Monroe, MI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,218 in Monroe, 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 Monroe, MI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.