Chicago vs Detroit - Cost of Living Comparison

Chicago Detroit
🚶 Cost of living one person
$2372
$1895
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$5663
$4628
🏠 One person rent
$1412
$1088
🏘️ Family rent
$2402
$2143
🍽️ Food expenses
$585
$561
🚐 Transport expenses
$210
$103
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$5314
$3928
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
15 km
9 km
🎓 Higher education
100
76
😀 Quality of life
96
88
🏙️ Population
2.75M
639K

The cost of living in Chicago is 25% more expensive than in Detroit. Cities ranked 254th and 1977th ($2372 vs $1895) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 195th and 1820th in the United States.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 2.2 months in Chicago compared to 2.1 months in Detroit. Ranked 1st vs 39th best cities to live in the United States, and 11th vs 159th among the best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Chicago vs Detroit infographic

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Prices in Chicago vs Detroit

Prices for goods and services in Chicago and Detroit are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Chicago Detroit
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$16.8
$15.4
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$62.8
$59.6
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$9.52
$8.05
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$5.86
$4.26
☕ Cappuccino
$5.14
$4.62
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.6
$2.07
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1692
$1145
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$1112
$775
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$3028
$2699
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1930
$1600
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$124
$161
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$192
$245
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$60.8
$77.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
5.59%
4.87%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4099
$1068
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2764
$1128
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$2.5
$2.01
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$77.1
$59.7
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$17.1
$13
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.21
$0.93
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.04
$0.89
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$2.81
$2.93
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.12
$3.41
🥚 Eggs, x12
$4.12
$3.5
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$13.8
$11.8
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12
$13.3
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.4
$16.8
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.41
$4.26
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$1.78
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.66
$4.22
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.1
$3.48
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.99
$3.2
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.11
$3.1
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.51
$1.25
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.21
$2.2
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$15.6
$10
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.75
$1.77
🚬 Cigarette pack
$15.6
$8.04
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.5
$14
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.76
$4.39
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$4.92
$4.06
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.98
$1.56
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$63.1
$45.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$14.5
$12
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$101
$107
💇 Haircut, simple
$26.3
$15.1
👖 Brand Jeans
$59.8
$53.4
👟 Brand Sneakers
$92.3
$85.4
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$1798
$448
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$21587
$13581

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Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2010
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2103
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2132
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2011
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2010
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2114
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2022
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2008
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2016
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2012
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2020
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2051
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2008
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2021
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2014
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2023
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2025
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$1890
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2010
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2016
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2021
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1902
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2009
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2014
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2020
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$1995
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2009
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2011
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2020
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2015
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2017
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2016
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2013
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2015
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2016
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2022

Cities near Detroit

Distance City Cost of living
1.9 km or 1.2 mi Windsor
$1750
7.4 km or 4.6 mi Hamtramck
$2011
14 km or 8.6 mi Dearborn
$2024
15 km or 9.1 mi Lincoln Park
$2010
16 km or 9.8 mi Allen Park
$2013
16 km or 10 mi Ferndale
$2010
17 km or 10 mi Wyandotte
$1996
17 km or 11 mi Eastpointe
$2004
18 km or 11 mi Madison Heights
$1661
18 km or 11 mi Warren
$1735
19 km or 12 mi Oak Park
$2010
19 km or 12 mi Southgate
$2016
19 km or 12 mi Royal Oak
$2025
20 km or 12 mi Dearborn Heights
$2022
21 km or 13 mi Roseville
$2023
21 km or 13 mi Taylor
$1801
21 km or 13 mi Southfield
$1943
22 km or 14 mi St. Clair Shores
$2024
22 km or 14 mi Inkster
$2015
24 km or 15 mi Garden
$2143
26 km or 16 mi Amherstburg
$1687
27 km or 17 mi Birmingham
$2011
28 km or 17 mi Sterling Heights
$1925
28 km or 17 mi Livonia
$1855
29 km or 18 mi Troy
$1767
29 km or 18 mi Westland
$2028
30 km or 19 mi Clinton Township
$2031
31 km or 19 mi Romulus
$2016
32 km or 20 mi Farmington Hills
$1903
37 km or 23 mi Rochester Hills
$2025
39 km or 24 mi Novi
$1928
40 km or 25 mi Pontiac
$1935
42 km or 26 mi Auburn Hills
$2007
54 km or 34 mi Monroe
$1529
58 km or 36 mi Ann Arbor
$2260
71 km or 44 mi Chatham-Kent
$1620
86 km or 54 mi Toledo
$1707
88 km or 54 mi Burton
$2021
88 km or 54 mi Port Huron
$1912
89 km or 55 mi Sarnia
$1476