Moving from Chicago to Detroit
Your paycheck buys about the same in Detroit as in Chicago. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Detroit: $88,800
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $88,800 in Detroit, MI to match $90,000 in Chicago, IL ($1,200 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Illinois and Michigan state income tax; includes Detroit resident tax $2,146 (inside city limits).
Chicago vs Detroit: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,469 → $1,248/mo
- Median home value
- $339,700 → $271,600
- Median household income
- $90,770 → $76,403
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 103.6 → 100.3
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (97.1 → 95.7 of 100)
Chicago vs Detroit cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Chicago, IL | Detroit, MI |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 103.6 | 100.3 |
| Median rent | $1,469 | $1,248 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $58,760 | $49,920 |
| Median home value | $339,700 | $271,600 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,453 | $1,826 |
| Income needed to buy | $105,125 | $78,258 |
| Median property tax | $6,461 | $3,489 |
| State income tax on $90,000 | $4,310 | $3,574 |
| City income tax (inside city limits) | None | $2,146 |
| Metro population | 9,406,924 | 4,400,578 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state, plus the income tax the principal city charges its residents. Commuters who live elsewhere often pay a nonresident rate, and many suburbs levy their own local tax, so unticking a city's box in the calculator estimates a typical suburban rate for it instead.
- Detroit, MI: Detroit residents pay a 2.4% city income tax on all income, after a $600 exemption per person. If you live outside Detroit but work in the city, you still pay the 1.2% nonresident rate on those wages. Most suburbs have no city income tax; Hamtramck, Highland Park and Pontiac are exceptions. Take-home figures include the resident tax.
Your yearly budget: Chicago vs Detroit
On a $90,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $52,355 a year in Chicago and $50,027 in Detroit if you rent: $2,328 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $64,162 and $56,963 ($7,199 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | ChicagoBefore | DetroitAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $90,000, single filer | $22,165 | $23,575 | +$1,410 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,320 | $1,432 | +$112 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,153 | $1,444 | +$291 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,337 | $2,324 | -$13 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,752 | $6,276 | -$1,476 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $17,628 | $14,976 | -$2,652 |
| Total if you rent | $52,355 | $50,027 | -$2,328 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $21,587 | $17,259 | -$4,328 |
| Property tax median home | $6,461 | $3,489 | -$2,972 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,387 | $1,164 | -$223 |
| Total if you buy | $64,162 | $56,963 | -$7,199 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $19,807 a year in Chicago and $13,454 in Detroit (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Chicago to Detroit
About 1,281 households (1,945 people) moved from the Chicago metro area to the Detroit metro area in 2022–2023, making Detroit the #17 destination for people leaving Chicago among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,966 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $123,973.
Cost to move from Chicago to Detroit
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $350–$840 |
| Moving container | $1,140–$2,200 |
| Full-service movers | $1,900–$5,370 |
Natural hazard risk: Chicago vs Detroit
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Chicago area among the highest (score 97.1) and the Detroit area among the highest (score 95.7), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $443 vs $265 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Detroit cheaper than Chicago?
Overall prices in the Detroit area are 3.2% lower than in Chicago (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,248 vs $1,469 a month, and the median home is $271,600 vs $339,700.
What salary do I need in Detroit to match $100,000 in Chicago?
About $98,800, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Uses Illinois and Michigan state income tax.
How much does it cost to move from Chicago to Detroit?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 280 miles: roughly $350–$840 with a rental truck, $1,140–$2,200 with a container, or $1,900–$5,370 with full-service movers.
How many people move from Chicago to Detroit?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,281 households (1,945 people) moved from the Chicago metro area to the Detroit metro area, and 1,966 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Chicago move
- Chicago to New York 4,600 households
- Chicago to Phoenix 3,626 households
- Chicago to Dallas 3,289 households
- Chicago to Los Angeles 3,248 households
- Chicago to Milwaukee 2,294 households
- Chicago to Miami 2,294 households
- Chicago to Indianapolis 2,181 households
- Chicago to Denver 2,160 households