Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Anderson, IN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Anderson, IN: $2,007 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

96

Cost of Living Index in Anderson, IN
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Anderson, IN Living Index
147

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

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Anderson, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,007

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,007 per month in Anderson, IN vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Anderson, IN $2,007
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $2,847 per month in Anderson, IN vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Anderson, IN $2,847
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $3,688 per month in Anderson, IN vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Anderson, IN $3,688
Chicago, IL $5,999

Anderson, IN is about 34% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Anderson, IN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Anderson, IN by 47%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.85 $11.85

$20.71 $20.71

-42.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.33 $45.33

$89.2 $89.2

-49.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.04 $10.04

$13.19 $13.19

-23.88%

Cappuccino

$4.22 $4.22

$5.66 $5.66

-25.44%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$2.64 $2.64

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.28 $2.28

-17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 $3.55

$6.87 $6.87

-48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$8.84 $8.84

-49.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 $0.61

$1.25 $1.25

-51.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.72 $3.72

-41.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$5.39 $5.39

-27.27%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$4.74 $4.74

-20.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.55 $13.55

$13.84 $13.84

-2.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.06 $25.06

$14.40 $14.40

74.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.88 $16.88

$18.38 $18.38

-8.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 $5.88

$5.22 $5.22

12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.98 $1.98

-5.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$4.06 $4.06

77.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.97 $4.97

8.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.67 $2.67

0.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.66 $2.66

18.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.24 $2.24

2.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.13 $3.13

-12.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.70 $9.70

$13.82 $13.82

-29.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.10 $19.10

$14.88 $14.88

28.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.54 $2.54

-32.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.51 $3.51

69.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.20 $1.20

-10.83%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$35.0K $35.0K

-19.90%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.08%

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

$171 $171

$194 $194

-11.97%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$69.5 $69.5

-27.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 $58.3

$61.6 $61.6

-5.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.21 $25.21

$47.90 $47.90

-47.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.44 $14.44

$17.81 $17.81

-18.92%

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

$538 $538

$1,794 $1,794

-70.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,526 $6,526

$31.9K $31.9K

-79.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.42 $39.42

$67.0 $67.0

-41.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.34 $47.34

$52.1 $52.1

-9.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 $71.2

$102 $102

-29.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$144 $144

-14.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 $952

$2,526 $2,526

-62.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$840 $840

$1,578 $1,578

-46.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 $1,428

$4,738 $4,738

-69.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 $1,186

$2,693 $2,693

-55.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,662 $1,662

$4,190 $4,190

-60.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,651 $1,651

$2,768 $2,768

-40.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

6.81

-1.03%

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

Last update for Anderson, IN: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Anderson, IN

$840 41.9%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 87.9% $738

Groceries & Markets

Anderson, IN

$487 24.3%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 8.1% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Anderson, IN

$280 14%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 16.2% $46

Eating Out

Anderson, IN

$220 11%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 56.9% $125

Clothing & Footwear

Anderson, IN

$126 6.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 29.7% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Anderson, IN

$54 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 54.4% $29

Getting Around

Anderson, IN

- * 0%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Anderson, IN 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 $45 in Anderson, IN versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $487 in Anderson, IN vs $447 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Anderson, IN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

02:06 2:06 AM

01:06 1:06 AM

1 h behind Anderson, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

57,496

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Anderson, IN Chicago, IL 260 km

From you

Anderson, IN
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Anderson, IN vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chicago, IL costs about 51% more than Anderson, IN, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,010 per month in Anderson, IN 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 Anderson, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $952 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,007 in Anderson, IN and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. That makes Anderson, IN about 34% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $538 per month in Anderson, IN and $1,794 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,007 in Anderson, IN and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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