Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Pontiac, MI: $2,498 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

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

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

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Pontiac, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,498

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,498 per month in Pontiac, MI vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Pontiac, MI $2,498
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,663 per month in Pontiac, MI vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Pontiac, MI $3,663
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,828 per month in Pontiac, MI vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Pontiac, MI $4,828
Chicago, IL $6,077

Pontiac, MI is about 22% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Pontiac, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Pontiac, MI by 85%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.02 $20.02

$21.58 $21.58

-7.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 $65.5

$88.7 $88.7

-26.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 $10.14

$13.20 $13.20

-23.18%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$5.59 $5.59

-2.15%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$2.63 $2.63

-16.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.26 $2.26

-30.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$7.11 $7.11

-30.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 $5.01

$9.23 $9.23

-45.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.28 $1.28

-26.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.84 $3.84

-14.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$5.07 $5.07

-19.72%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$4.84 $4.84

-31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$14.17 $14.17

-20.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.70 $9.70

$14.61 $14.61

-33.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.48 $16.48

$18.76 $18.76

-12.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$5.19 $5.19

-37.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.00 $2.00

-28.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.00 $4.00

11.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$4.98 $4.98

-26.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.79 $2.79

-4.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.65 $2.65

-26.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.13 $2.13

23.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.09 $3.09

-26.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$16.05 $16.05

-36.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.43 $13.43

$15.20 $15.20

-11.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.62 $2.62

-27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.46 $3.46

-7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.47 $2.47

-17.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 $51.0

$75.1 $75.1

-32.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.21 $3.21

-19.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.39 $1.39

76.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.67 $40.67

$25.02 $25.02

62.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.24 $1.24

-14.52%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$37.2K $37.2K

-1.04%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.84%

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

$178 $178

$192 $192

-7.61%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$67.8 $67.8

-12.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$60.9 $60.9

5.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.43 $42.43

$53.6 $53.6

-20.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.67 $24.67

$27.90 $27.90

-11.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$17.80 $17.80

-31.97%

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

$1,723 $1,723

$1,554 $1,554

10.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K $14.5K

$31.4K $31.4K

-53.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.30 $44.30

$67.9 $67.9

-34.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 $40.29

$50.8 $50.8

-20.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 $72.3

$101 $101

-28.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 $78.7

$143 $143

-45.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$2,383 $2,383

-32.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$1,712 $1,712

-24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$4,674 $4,674

-46.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 $2,159

$2,738 $2,738

-21.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,699 $2,699

$4,158 $4,158

-35.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,435 $2,435

$2,691 $2,691

-9.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,444 $3,444

$4,894 $4,894

-29.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

-11.37%

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

Last update for Pontiac, MI: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pontiac, MI

$1.3K 51.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 33% $425

Groceries & Markets

Pontiac, MI

$357 14.3%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 26.5% $94

Eating Out

Pontiac, MI

$306 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 15.3% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pontiac, MI

$301 12.1%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 6.5% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Pontiac, MI

$106 4.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 54.2% $57

Getting Around

Pontiac, MI

$74 3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 28.5% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Pontiac, MI

$67 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 33.8% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,614 in Pontiac, 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 42% 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 $66.0 in Pontiac, MI versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $451 – making Pontiac, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pontiac, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

18:36 6:36 PM

17:36 5:36 PM

1 h behind Pontiac, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

61,606

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Pontiac, MI Chicago, IL 370 km

From you

Pontiac, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,498 in Pontiac, MI, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 27% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,748 per month in Pontiac, 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 Pontiac, MI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Pontiac, MI and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,498 in Pontiac, 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 $2,498 in Pontiac, MI to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Pontiac, 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.