Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Novi, MI: $2,534 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Novi, MI
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Novi, MI Living Index
153

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

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Novi, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,534

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,534 per month in Novi, MI vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Novi, MI $2,534
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,818 per month in Novi, MI vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Novi, MI $3,818
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $5,101 per month in Novi, MI vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Novi, MI $5,101
Chicago, IL $6,077

Novi, MI is about 20% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Novi, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Novi, MI by 88%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 $17.56

$21.58 $21.58

-18.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 $86.8

$88.7 $88.7

-2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 $8.62

$13.20 $13.20

-34.70%

Cappuccino

$3.97 $3.97

$5.59 $5.59

-28.98%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$2.63 $2.63

0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.26 $2.26

-2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 $6.43

$7.11 $7.11

-9.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 $7.28

$9.23 $9.23

-21.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.28 $1.28

-28.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.07 $5.07

16.17%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$4.84 $4.84

-30.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.88 $21.88

$14.17 $14.17

54.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.76 $16.76

$14.61 $14.61

14.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.35 $24.35

$18.76 $18.76

29.80%

Apples (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$5.19 $5.19

25.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.00 $2.00

44.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.00 $4.00

7.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$4.98 $4.98

-7.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.79 $2.79

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.65 $2.65

10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.13 $2.13

-0.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.09 $3.09

-36.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.37 $9.37

$16.05 $16.05

-41.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.25 $16.25

$15.20 $15.20

6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.62 $2.62

-14.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.46 $3.46

-5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.47 $2.47

-28.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.21 $3.21

7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.39 $1.39

30.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.21 $27.21

$25.02 $25.02

8.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.24 $1.24

-20.16%

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

$31.0K $31.0K

$37.2K $37.2K

-16.73%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.23%

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

$193 $193

$192 $192

0.35%

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

$40.15 $40.15

$67.8 $67.8

-40.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.8 $79.8

$60.9 $60.9

31.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.52 $41.52

$53.6 $53.6

-22.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$14.16 $14.16

$17.80 $17.80

-20.45%

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

$1,548 $1,548

$1,554 $1,554

-0.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$31.4K $31.4K

-25.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.14 $46.14

$67.9 $67.9

-32.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.61 $41.61

$50.8 $50.8

-18.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 $87.2

$101 $101

-14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$143 $143

-21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,691 $1,691

$2,383 $2,383

-29.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 $1,228

$1,712 $1,712

-28.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,953 $2,953

$4,674 $4,674

-36.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 $2,138

$2,738 $2,738

-21.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,759 $2,759

$4,158 $4,158

-33.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,377 $2,377

$2,691 $2,691

-11.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,240 $6,240

$4,894 $4,894

27.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.93

6.77

2.36%

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

Last update for Novi, MI: October 13, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Novi, MI

$1.2K 48.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 39.4% $484

Groceries & Markets

Novi, MI

$494 19.5%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 8.7% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Novi, MI

$313 12.4%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 2.6% $8.1

Eating Out

Novi, MI

$280 11.1%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 26% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Novi, MI

$130 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 26.3% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Novi, MI

$70 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 27.7% $19

Getting Around

Novi, MI

$20 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 386% $76

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,691 in Novi, MI versus $2,383 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 28% higher in Novi, 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 $87.0 in Novi, MI versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $494 in Novi, MI vs $451 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Novi, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:04 10:04 PM

21:04 9:04 PM

1 h behind Novi, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,243

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Novi, MI Chicago, IL 350 km

From you

Novi, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,534 in Novi, MI, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,801 per month in Novi, MI and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Novi, 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 $87.0 in Novi, MI and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,534 in Novi, MI and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,534 in Novi, MI to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Novi, 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.