Chicago vs Detroit
Chicago, IL · Detroit, MI
Detroit is 23% cheaper than Chicago overall.
Home Price
Chicago: $315,000
Detroit: $215,000
Monthly Rent
Chicago: $2,288/mo
Detroit: $900/mo
COL Index
Chicago: 114
Detroit: 88
Median Income
Chicago: $70,100
Detroit: $57,400
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $77,193 in Detroit — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Detroit cost 32% more (-$100,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Detroit saves you $1,388/month — $16,656 per year. Median rent: $2,288/mo in Chicago vs $900/mo in Detroit.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Chicago owners pay roughly $6,615/year in property taxes vs $3,440/year in Detroit. That's a $3,175 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $70,100 in Chicago and $57,400 in Detroit. Detroit residents earn 18% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 31 minutes in Chicago vs 26 minutes in Detroit. Over a year, that's 2500 extra minutes (42 hours) of commuting in Chicago.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Chicago to Detroit, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Chicago | Equivalent in Detroit | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $38,596 | -$11,404 |
| $75,000 | $57,895 | -$17,105 |
| $100,000 | $77,193 | -$22,807 |
| $150,000 | $115,789 | -$34,211 |
| $200,000 | $154,386 | -$45,614 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Chicago Calculators
Detroit Calculators
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Chicago vs Detroit: Common Questions
Is Chicago or Detroit cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Detroit is cheaper overall. Chicago has a COL index of 114 while Detroit scores 88 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Chicago and Detroit?
The median home price in Chicago is $315,000 vs $215,000 in Detroit — a difference of $100,000 (32%).
What salary do I need in Detroit to match my Chicago income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Chicago is equivalent to $77,193 in Detroit in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Detroit has a lower property tax rate (1.6% vs 2.1%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,440/year vs $6,615/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.