Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Joseph, MI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Joseph, MI: $1,920 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Saint Joseph, MI
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Saint Joseph, MI Living Index
147

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

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Saint Joseph, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,920

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,920 per month in Saint Joseph, MI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Joseph, MI $1,920
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,070 per month in Saint Joseph, MI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Joseph, MI $3,070
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,219 per month in Saint Joseph, MI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Saint Joseph, MI $4,219
Chicago, IL $5,999

Saint Joseph, MI is about 37% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Saint Joseph, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Saint Joseph, MI by 41%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.89 $13.89

$20.71 $20.71

-32.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$89.2 $89.2

-17.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 $8.74

$13.19 $13.19

-33.74%

Cappuccino

$4.01 $4.01

$5.66 $5.66

-29.15%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$2.64 $2.64

13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.28 $2.28

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 $3.91

$6.87 $6.87

-43.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$8.84 $8.84

-43.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.25 $1.25

-35.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.72 $3.72

-23.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$5.39 $5.39

-45.08%

Eggs

$3.53 $3.53

$4.74 $4.74

-25.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 $7.85

$13.84 $13.84

-43.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$14.40 $14.40

-26.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.36 $8.36

$18.38 $18.38

-54.52%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$5.22 $5.22

9.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$4.06 $4.06

-13.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.97 $4.97

8.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.67 $2.67

-34.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.66 $2.66

21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.24 $2.24

-27.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.13 $3.13

-21.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 $12.15

$13.82 $13.82

-12.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$14.88 $14.88

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.54 $2.54

-33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.51 $3.51

-5.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.43 $2.43

-16.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 $53.9

$73.5 $73.5

-26.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.18 $3.18

-4.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.39 $1.39

28.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.76 $29.76

$25.03 $25.03

18.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.20 $1.20

-33.33%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-30.25%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.88%

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

$172 $172

$194 $194

-11.73%

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

$51.1 $51.1

$69.5 $69.5

-26.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 $51.9

$61.6 $61.6

-15.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.52 $41.52

$47.90 $47.90

-13.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 $10.59

$17.81 $17.81

-40.54%

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

$1,521 $1,521

$1,794 $1,794

-15.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-26.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 $40.22

$67.0 $67.0

-39.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.07 $49.07

$52.1 $52.1

-5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 $76.1

$102 $102

-25.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 $75.6

$144 $144

-47.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 $1,075

$2,526 $2,526

-57.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 $842

$1,578 $1,578

-46.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 $1,887

$4,738 $4,738

-60.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 $1,791

$2,693 $2,693

-33.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,773 $2,773

$4,190 $4,190

-33.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,380 $2,380

$2,768 $2,768

-14.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,999 $4,999

$4,931 $4,931

1.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.81

-5.58%

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

Last update for Saint Joseph, MI: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Joseph, MI

$842 43.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 87.3% $736

Groceries & Markets

Saint Joseph, MI

$323 16.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 38.6% $125

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Joseph, MI

$275 14.3%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 18.6% $51

Eating Out

Saint Joseph, MI

$235 12.3%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 46.7% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Joseph, MI

$108 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 51.2% $56

Getting Around

Saint Joseph, MI

$74 3.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 26.2% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Joseph, MI

$63 3.3%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 33.2% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,075 in Saint Joseph, 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 $74 in Saint Joseph, MI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $447 – making Saint Joseph, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Joseph, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:24 10:24 AM

09:24 9:24 AM

1 h behind Saint Joseph, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,780

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Saint Joseph, MI Chicago, IL 98 km

From you

Saint Joseph, MI
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,920 in Saint Joseph, MI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 58% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,880 per month in Saint Joseph, 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 Saint Joseph, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,075 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 $74 in Saint Joseph, MI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Joseph, MI – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Saint Joseph, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 58% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.