Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Waterford, MI: $2,403 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Waterford, MI
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Waterford, MI Living Index
147

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

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Waterford, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,403

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,403 per month in Waterford, MI vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waterford, MI $2,403
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,641 per month in Waterford, MI vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waterford, MI $3,641
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,879 per month in Waterford, MI vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Waterford, MI $4,879
Chicago, IL $5,999

Waterford, MI is about 21% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Waterford, MI and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Waterford, MI by 77%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 $18.36

$20.71 $20.71

-11.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$89.2 $89.2

-16.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 $9.35

$13.19 $13.19

-29.11%

Cappuccino

$4.59 $4.59

$5.66 $5.66

-18.90%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$2.64 $2.64

6.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.28 $2.28

-26.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$6.87 $6.87

-13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 $4.41

$8.84 $8.84

-50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.25 $1.25

-32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.72 $3.72

-2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$5.39 $5.39

-39.70%

Eggs

$2.03 $2.03

$4.74 $4.74

-57.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$13.84 $13.84

-20.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 $13.86

$14.40 $14.40

-3.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$18.38 $18.38

-20.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$5.22 $5.22

-6.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.98 $1.98

-45.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$4.06 $4.06

36.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.97 $4.97

-9.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.67 $2.67

-18.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.66 $2.66

35.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.24 $2.24

-0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.13 $3.13

-22.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 $10.32

$13.82 $13.82

-25.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.88 $14.88

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.54 $2.54

-19.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.51 $3.51

-29.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.43 $2.43

-17.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

$73.5 $73.5

-19.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.18 $3.18

44.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.39 $1.39

39.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.80 $31.80

$25.03 $25.03

27.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.20 $1.20

-11.67%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.19%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.41%

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

$132 $132

$194 $194

-31.97%

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

$49.02 $49.02

$69.5 $69.5

-29.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$61.6 $61.6

17.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.91 $40.91

$47.90 $47.90

-14.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 $13.49

$17.81 $17.81

-24.26%

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

$893 $893

$1,794 $1,794

-50.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K $21.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

-33.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$67.0 $67.0

-4.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.2 $77.2

$52.1 $52.1

48.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 $97.1

$102 $102

-4.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$144 $144

-17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$2,526 $2,526

-31.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 $1,170

$1,578 $1,578

-25.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,452 $2,452

$4,738 $4,738

-48.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 $2,092

$2,693 $2,693

-22.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,066 $3,066

$4,190 $4,190

-26.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,352 $2,352

$2,768 $2,768

-15.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.81

0.15%

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

Last update for Waterford, MI: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waterford, MI

$1.2K 48.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 34.9% $408

Groceries & Markets

Waterford, MI

$384 16%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 16.6% $64

Eating Out

Waterford, MI

$286 11.9%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 20.5% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waterford, MI

$254 10.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 28.4% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Waterford, MI

$161 6.7%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 2% $3.3

Getting Around

Waterford, MI

$81 3.4%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 14.8% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Waterford, MI

$68 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 23% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,738 in Waterford, 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 Waterford, MI versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $447 – making Waterford, MI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waterford, MI

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

10:04 10:04 AM

1 h behind Waterford, MI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,517

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Waterford, MI Chicago, IL 360 km

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,403 in Waterford, MI, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,605 per month in Waterford, 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 Waterford, MI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,738 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 Waterford, MI and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Waterford, MI, where all-in costs run around $2,403, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Waterford, MI it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Waterford, MI is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 26% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.