Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Troy, MI: $2,302 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Troy, MI
Learn more

Troy, MI Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

Troy, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,302

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,302 per month in Troy, MI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Troy, MI $2,302
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,520 per month in Troy, MI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Troy, MI $3,520
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,739 per month in Troy, MI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Troy, MI $4,739
Chicago, IL $5,999

Troy, MI is about 24% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Troy, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Troy, MI by 69%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.23 $16.23

$20.71 $20.71

-21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$89.2 $89.2

-17.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 $10.68

$13.19 $13.19

-19.03%

Cappuccino

$4.46 $4.46

$5.66 $5.66

-21.20%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$2.64 $2.64

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.28 $2.28

-20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 $5.13

$6.87 $6.87

-25.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$8.84 $8.84

-33.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.25 $1.25

-40.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.72 $3.72

-19.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$5.39 $5.39

-17.07%

Eggs

$2.87 $2.87

$4.74 $4.74

-39.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$13.84 $13.84

-20.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.50 $8.50

$14.40 $14.40

-40.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.77 $14.77

$18.38 $18.38

-19.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$5.22 $5.22

-34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.98 $1.98

-45.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$4.06 $4.06

-16.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.97 $4.97

-13.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.67 $2.67

-3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.66 $2.66

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.24 $2.24

-5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.13 $3.13

-20.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.02 $9.02

$13.82 $13.82

-34.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.14 $14.14

$14.88 $14.88

-4.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.54 $2.54

-38.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.51 $3.51

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.43 $2.43

20.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.18 $3.18

210.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.39 $1.39

118.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.93 $9.93

$25.03 $25.03

-60.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.20 $1.20

-21.67%

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

$31.1K $31.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-11.33%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

-9.73%

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

$172 $172

$194 $194

-11.71%

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

$42.61 $42.61

$69.5 $69.5

-38.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.78 $43.78

$61.6 $61.6

-28.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.38 $34.38

$47.90 $47.90

-28.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.83 $35.83

$27.34 $27.34

31.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 $10.18

$17.81 $17.81

-42.84%

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

$1,755 $1,755

$1,794 $1,794

-2.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K $15.3K

$31.9K $31.9K

-52.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 $52.3

$67.0 $67.0

-21.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.24 $22.24

$52.1 $52.1

-57.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 $81.5

$102 $102

-19.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 $91.8

$144 $144

-36.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 $1,341

$2,526 $2,526

-46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 $1,233

$1,578 $1,578

-21.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 $2,374

$4,738 $4,738

-49.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 $2,288

$2,693 $2,693

-15.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,679 $2,679

$4,190 $4,190

-36.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,297 $2,297

$2,768 $2,768

-17.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,482 $5,482

$4,931 $4,931

11.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.81

-2.06%

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

Last update for Troy, MI: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Troy, MI

$1.2K 53.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 28% $345

Groceries & Markets

Troy, MI

$338 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 32.3% $109

Eating Out

Troy, MI

$270 11.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 27.6% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Troy, MI

$258 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 26.2% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Troy, MI

$112 4.8%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 47.1% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Troy, MI

$55 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 52.6% $29

Getting Around

Troy, MI

$37 * 1.6%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 154% $57

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Troy, 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.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Troy, MI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Troy, MI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $447 – making Troy, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Troy, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

14:47 2:47 PM

13:47 1:47 PM

1 h behind Troy, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

51,401

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Troy, MI Chicago, IL 380 km

From you

Troy, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,302 in Troy, MI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 32% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,453 per month in Troy, 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 Troy, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,341 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74 in Troy, MI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,302 in Troy, 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 $2,302 in Troy, MI to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.