Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Three Rivers, MI and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Three Rivers, MI: $2,781 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Three Rivers, MI
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Three Rivers, MI Living Index
147

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

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Three Rivers, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,781

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,781 per month in Three Rivers, MI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Three Rivers, MI $2,781
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $4,005 per month in Three Rivers, MI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Three Rivers, MI $4,005
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,228 per month in Three Rivers, MI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Three Rivers, MI $5,228
Chicago, IL $5,999

Three Rivers, MI is about 8% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Three Rivers, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Three Rivers, MI by 104%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.43 $18.43

$20.71 $20.71

-11.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 $59.2

$89.2 $89.2

-33.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.02 $12.02

$13.19 $13.19

-8.87%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

$5.66 $5.66

-8.48%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$2.64 $2.64

9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.28 $2.28

-5.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.47 $6.47

$6.87 $6.87

-5.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$8.84 $8.84

-9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.25 $1.25

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.72 $3.72

4.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$5.39 $5.39

-42.86%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$4.74 $4.74

-20.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.40 $13.40

$13.84 $13.84

-3.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 $13.03

$14.40 $14.40

-9.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.81 $14.81

$18.38 $18.38

-19.42%

Apples (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$5.22 $5.22

5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.98 $1.98

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.06 $4.06

-17.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$4.97 $4.97

-45.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.67 $2.67

-22.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.66 $2.66

-36.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.24 $2.24

-14.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.13 $3.13

-37.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 $10.27

$13.82 $13.82

-25.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$14.88 $14.88

2.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.54 $2.54

-15.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.51 $3.51

5.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.43 $2.43

-30.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 $67.4

$73.5 $73.5

-8.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.18 $3.18

-6.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.39 $1.39

12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.23 $26.23

$25.03 $25.03

4.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.20 $1.20

-11.67%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-14.23%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.52%

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

$202 $202

$194 $194

3.96%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$69.5 $69.5

-17.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 $72.8

$61.6 $61.6

18.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.43 $44.43

$47.90 $47.90

-7.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$12.95 $12.95

$17.81 $17.81

-27.29%

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

$1,984 $1,984

$1,794 $1,794

10.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K $20.4K

$31.9K $31.9K

-36.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 $55.8

$67.0 $67.0

-16.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 $43.98

$52.1 $52.1

-15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$102 $102

12.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$144 $144

-26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 $1,534

$2,526 $2,526

-39.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 $1,455

$1,578 $1,578

-7.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$4,738 $4,738

-40.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,410 $2,410

$2,693 $2,693

-10.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,734 $2,734

$4,190 $4,190

-34.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 $2,337

$2,768 $2,768

-15.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Three Rivers, 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

Three Rivers, MI

$1.5K 52.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 8.5% $123

Groceries & Markets

Three Rivers, MI

$381 13.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 17.5% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Three Rivers, MI

$332 12%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 2% $6.7

Eating Out

Three Rivers, MI

$314 11.3%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 9.8% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Three Rivers, MI

$144 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 14% $20

Getting Around

Three Rivers, MI

$85 3.1%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 9.8% $8.3

Sport & Entertainment

Three Rivers, MI

$70 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 18.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Three Rivers, 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 $59 in Three Rivers, MI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 vs $447 – making Three Rivers, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Three Rivers, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:07 8:07 AM

07:07 7:07 AM

1 h behind Three Rivers, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

7,800

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Three Rivers, MI Chicago, IL 170 km

From you

Three Rivers, MI
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,781 in Three Rivers, MI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Three Rivers, MI comes out roughly 8% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,172 per month in Three Rivers, 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 Three Rivers, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,534 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Three Rivers, MI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,781 in Three Rivers, MI and $3,037 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 $2,781 in Three Rivers, MI to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Three Rivers, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 8% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.