Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Muskegon, MI: $1,584 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $18,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Muskegon, MI
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Muskegon, MI Living Index
152

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

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Muskegon, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,584

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,584 per month in Muskegon, MI vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Muskegon, MI $1,584
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,462 per month in Muskegon, MI vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Muskegon, MI $2,462
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,340 per month in Muskegon, MI vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Muskegon, MI $3,340
Chicago, IL $6,115

Muskegon, MI is about 50% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Muskegon, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Muskegon, MI by 17%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 $15.09

$20.65 $20.65

-26.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 $59.4

$90.2 $90.2

-34.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.67 $8.67

$12.94 $12.94

-33.00%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$5.60 $5.60

-10.71%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$2.64 $2.64

-15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.27 $2.27

-22.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$6.98 $6.98

-12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$8.83 $8.83

-32.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.27 $1.27

-37.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.80 $3.80

-27.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$5.30 $5.30

-44.15%

Eggs

$2.05 $2.05

$4.76 $4.76

-56.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$13.96 $13.96

-37.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.21 $13.21

$14.61 $14.61

-9.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.78 $14.78

$18.77 $18.77

-21.26%

Apples (1kg)

$7.01 $7.01

$5.19 $5.19

35.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.98 $1.98

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.93 $3.93

-2.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.96 $4.96

-36.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.76 $2.76

-14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.76 $2.76

-6.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.22 $2.22

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.98 $2.98

-35.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.02 $9.02

$14.02 $14.02

-35.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 $5.96

$15.28 $15.28

-60.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.58 $2.58

-18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.50 $3.50

-36.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.34 $3.34

-12.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.43 $1.43

9.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.20 $26.20

$24.32 $24.32

7.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.26 $1.26

-24.60%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-16.54%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

-2.69%

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

$130 $130

$193 $193

-32.39%

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

$29.90 $29.90

$68.3 $68.3

-56.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 $56.9

$61.3 $61.3

-7.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.19 $32.19

$54.1 $54.1

-40.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.05 $5.05

$27.92 $27.92

-81.91%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 $11.98

$17.74 $17.74

-32.47%

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

$2,004 $2,004

$1,652 $1,652

21.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K $19.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

-36.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.93 $26.93

$66.1 $66.1

-59.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 $29.47

$51.2 $51.2

-42.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 $86.4

$100 $100

-13.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 $92.7

$141 $141

-34.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 $840

$2,446 $2,446

-65.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 $591

$1,678 $1,678

-64.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 $1,698

$4,717 $4,717

-64.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 $1,105

$2,795 $2,795

-60.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,966 $1,966

$4,105 $4,105

-52.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,859 $1,859

$2,650 $2,650

-29.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,629 $3,629

$4,866 $4,866

-25.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.81

-3.08%

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

Last update for Muskegon, MI: October 20, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Muskegon, MI

$591 37.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 184% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Muskegon, MI

$338 21.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 33% $112

Eating Out

Muskegon, MI

$265 16.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 29.6% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Muskegon, MI

$217 13.7%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 48.5% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Muskegon, MI

$106 6.7%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 52.2% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Muskegon, MI

$56 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 59.6% $33

Getting Around

Muskegon, MI

$11 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 782% $84

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $840 in Muskegon, MI versus $2,446 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 34% 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 $59.0 in Muskegon, MI versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $449 – making Muskegon, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Muskegon, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:52 6:52 AM

05:52 5:52 AM

1 h behind Muskegon, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

39,608

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Muskegon, MI Chicago, IL 190 km

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,584 in Muskegon, MI, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 98% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,376 per month in Muskegon, MI and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Muskegon, MI and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Muskegon, MI, where all-in costs run around $1,584, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Muskegon, 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 $1,584 in Muskegon, MI to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Muskegon, 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.