Moving from Grand Rapids, MI to Chicago, IL
Grand Rapids to Chicago is a move of about 172 miles. Median rent is $1,430 a month in Chicago and $1,202 in Grand Rapids, and the median home is $323,000 against $285,300. State income tax is a flat 4.95% in Chicago and a flat 4.25% in Grand Rapids. Property tax runs 1.98% of home value in Chicago and 1.07% in Grand Rapids.
Moving to Chicago costs about
$490/mo
more than Grand Rapids each month, renting on a $80,000 household income
Not your income? Run it on your own numbers
Worth knowing
Groceries, gas & goods is what separates these two cities
Of everything that changes when you move from Grand Rapids to Chicago, groceries, gas & goods moves the most: about $248 a month more.
Grand Rapids vs Chicago at a glance
| Grand Rapids | Chicago | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $285,300 | $323,000 |
| Median rent | $1,202/mo | $1,430/mo |
| State income tax | Flat 4.25% | Flat 4.95% |
| Property tax rate | 1.07% | 1.98% |
| Groceries, gas & goods | 94 | 107 |
| Utilities | 94 | 84 |
Price levels are indexes where 100 is the national average. They cover everyday spending only; housing is the two rows above.
Monthly cost of living: Grand Rapids vs Chicago
| Monthly | Grand Rapids | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| Housing (median rent) | $1,202 | $1,430 | +$228 |
| Taxes | |||
| State income tax | $262 | $318 | +$56 |
| Local income tax (state average) | $11 | None | -$11 |
| Sales tax (on everyday spending) | $88 | $96 | +$8 |
| Everyday costs | |||
| Groceries, gas & goods | $1,718 | $1,966 | +$248 |
| Utilities | $383 | $341 | -$42 |
| Total | +$487 | ||
Cost to move from Grand Rapids to Chicago
$1,300 to $3,200
From a container you load yourself up to full-service movers.
Shipping one car adds about $350 to $600, against roughly $0 in fuel and lodging to drive it the 1-day trip yourself.
Housing and everyday prices here are for the metro area. Income and sales tax are set by state law and have no metro equivalent, so those come from Michigan and Illinois. Compare the whole states instead to see how each metro sits against the state it is in.
Run this with your own numbers
What jobs pay in Chicago, after the cost of living
Estimates only, not advice. Housing and income figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2024); price levels from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024); tax rates are for the 2026 tax year, compiled from state revenue departments and the Tax Foundation. Moving costs are modelled from published ranges rather than quoted. Housing and price figures are metro-area medians or averages; income and sales tax are statewide. Neither will match any particular household.