Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shelby Township, MI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Shelby Township, MI: $2,609 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Shelby Township, MI
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Shelby Township, MI Living Index
152

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

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Shelby Township, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,609

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,609 per month in Shelby Township, MI vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Shelby Township, MI $2,609
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $3,806 per month in Shelby Township, MI vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Shelby Township, MI $3,806
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,003 per month in Shelby Township, MI vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Shelby Township, MI $5,003
Chicago, IL $6,115

Shelby Township, MI is about 17% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Shelby Township, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Shelby Township, MI by 93%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.60 $19.60

$20.65 $20.65

-5.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 $75.1

$90.2 $90.2

-16.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 $11.35

$12.94 $12.94

-12.29%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$5.60 $5.60

-3.39%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.64 $2.64

-0.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.27 $2.27

-14.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 $5.36

$6.98 $6.98

-23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

$8.83 $8.83

-9.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.27 $1.27

-11.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.80 $3.80

-20.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$5.30 $5.30

-11.89%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$4.76 $4.76

-1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 $13.57

$13.96 $13.96

-2.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 $11.48

$14.61 $14.61

-21.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.05 $15.05

$18.77 $18.77

-19.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.19 $5.19

6.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.98 $1.98

-21.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.93 $3.93

1.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.96 $4.96

-11.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.76 $2.76

-13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.76 $2.76

5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.22 $2.22

-13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.98 $2.98

-16.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 $9.87

$14.02 $14.02

-29.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$15.28 $15.28

-3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.58 $2.58

-12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.50 $3.50

-12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.47 $2.47

-9.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.34 $3.34

-18.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.43 $1.43

36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.81 $30.81

$24.32 $24.32

26.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.26 $1.26

-7.14%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$35.0K $35.0K

-25.15%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-4.94%

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

$228 $228

$193 $193

18.15%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$68.3 $68.3

-13.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$61.3 $61.3

14.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.87 $40.87

$54.1 $54.1

-24.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 $13.88

$17.74 $17.74

-21.76%

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

$1,609 $1,609

$1,652 $1,652

-2.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K $20.5K

$31.1K $31.1K

-33.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$66.1 $66.1

-22.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 $40.55

$51.2 $51.2

-20.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 $88.7

$100 $100

-11.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$141 $141

-11.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 $1,627

$2,446 $2,446

-33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 $1,313

$1,678 $1,678

-21.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,522 $2,522

$4,717 $4,717

-46.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 $2,178

$2,795 $2,795

-22.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,389 $2,389

$4,105 $4,105

-41.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,365 $2,365

$2,650 $2,650

-10.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,785 $4,785

$4,866 $4,866

-1.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Shelby Township, 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

Shelby Township, MI

$1.3K 50.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 27.8% $365

Groceries & Markets

Shelby Township, MI

$395 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 13.9% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shelby Township, MI

$357 13.7%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 9.8% $35

Eating Out

Shelby Township, MI

$317 12.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 8.4% $27

Clothing & Footwear

Shelby Township, MI

$138 5.3%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 17.2% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Shelby Township, MI

$69 2.6%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 30.6% $21

Getting Around

Shelby Township, MI

$21 * 0.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 344% $74

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,627 in Shelby Township, 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 2% 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 $75.0 in Shelby Township, MI versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $449 – making Shelby Township, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Shelby Township, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

00:49 12:49 AM

23:49 11:49 PM

1 h behind Shelby Township, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,018

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

Shelby Township, MI Chicago, IL 220 km

From you

Shelby Township, MI
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,609 in Shelby Township, MI, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 20% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,914 per month in Shelby Township, 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 Shelby Township, 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 $75.0 in Shelby Township, 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 14% 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,609 in Shelby Township, MI and $3,139 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 $2,609 in Shelby Township, MI to $3,139 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 Shelby Township, 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.