Cost of Living Comparison Between Traverse City, MI and Chicago, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Traverse City, MI and Chicago, IL

🙂 Solo nomad: Traverse City, MI is 12.9% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 14.2% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Traverse City, MI is 4.7% cheaper than Chicago, IL without rent, and 18.6% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.28 $18.28

$20.82 $20.82

-12.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 $70.1

$100 $100

-30.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 $9.56

$11.97 $11.97

-20.13%

Cappuccino

$4.46 $4.46

$5.56 $5.56

-19.78%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$3.11 $3.11

-18.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.42 $2.42

-35.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.53 $5.53

$6.86 $6.86

-19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 $6.05

$8.45 $8.45

-28.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.04 $1.04

-21.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.15 $4.15

-16.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$5.52 $5.52

-22.28%

Eggs

$3.3 $3.3

$4.65 $4.65

-29.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$14.33 $14.33

6.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.88 $14.88

-18.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.27 $15.27

$19.34 $19.34

-21.04%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$5.17 $5.17

29.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.9 $0.9

$1.71 $1.71

-47.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.3 $3.3

$4.41 $4.41

-25.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.51 $4.51

25.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.53 $2.53

-13.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.74 $2.74

22.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.43 $2.43

0.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.7 $2.7

-9.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.83 $8.83

$15.19 $15.19

-41.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.9 $14.9

$16.42 $16.42

-9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.35 $2.35

-21.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.7 $3.7

-1.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.15 $6.15

$2.53 $2.53

143.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.89 $29.89

$74.1 $74.1

-59.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 $4.77

$3.34 $3.34

42.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.42 $1.42

11.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.7 $27.7

$25.42 $25.42

8.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.08 $1.08

-17.59%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$32.4K $32.4K

-24.56%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-6.54%

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

$118 $118

$188 $188

-37.18%

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

$46.15 $46.15

$63.7 $63.7

-27.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 $62.2

$65.2 $65.2

-4.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 $70.9

$76.7 $76.7

-7.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.03 $13.03

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 $11.19

$14.93 $14.93

-25.05%

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

$963 $963

$2,063 $2,063

-53.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$39.2K $39.2K

-46.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63 $63

$64.3 $64.3

-2.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 $55.6

$52.4 $52.4

6.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 $99.1

$95.2 $95.2

4.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 $95.7

$145 $145

-33.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$2,378 $2,378

-23.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,445 $1,445

$1,584 $1,584

-8.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,742 $3,742

$4,763 $4,763

-21.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 $2,276

$2,815 $2,815

-19.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,087 $5,087

$3,588 $3,588

41.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,563 $3,563

$2,490 $2,490

43.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,740 $2,740

$5,275 $5,275

-48.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

6.6

-3.79%

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

Last update for Traverse City, MI: October 29, 2025

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 29, 2025

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