Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Brownsburg, IN: $2,372 a month against $3,072 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Brownsburg, IN
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Brownsburg, IN Living Index
146

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

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Brownsburg, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,372

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,372 in Brownsburg, IN versus $3,072 in Chicago, IL.

Brownsburg, IN $2,372
Chicago, IL $3,072

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,400 in Brownsburg, IN versus $4,535 in Chicago, IL.

Brownsburg, IN $3,400
Chicago, IL $4,535

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,429 in Brownsburg, IN versus $5,999 in Chicago, IL.

Brownsburg, IN $4,429
Chicago, IL $5,999

Living in Brownsburg, IN costs roughly 23% less than in Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brownsburg, IN 75% above, Chicago, IL 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$20.39 $20.39

-0.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$88.6 $88.6

-15.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 $11.45

$12.85 $12.85

-10.89%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$5.78 $5.78

-9.17%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.74 $2.74

-4.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.26 $2.26

-10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$6.88 $6.88

-10.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 $7.22

$9.24 $9.24

-21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.26 $1.26

-34.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.55 $3.55

-49.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$5.38 $5.38

-20.07%

Eggs

$3.01 $3.01

$4.55 $4.55

-33.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$13.65 $13.65

-10.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$14.07 $14.07

-36.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.20 $17.20

$18.06 $18.06

-4.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.16 $5.16

-3.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.98 $1.98

-3.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.88 $3.88

12.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$4.83 $4.83

-3.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.67 $2.67

12.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.07 $2.07

5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$3.03 $3.03

-44.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.80 $9.80

$13.90 $13.90

-29.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.93 $11.93

$15.05 $15.05

-20.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.63 $2.63

-27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.45 $3.45

0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.43 $2.43

-20.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.1 $57.1

$75.3 $75.3

-24.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.17 $3.17

19.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.70 $1.70

-6.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.51 $32.51

$24.90 $24.90

30.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.28 $1.28

-32.03%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

-22.93%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.59%

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

$222 $222

$192 $192

15.70%

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

$78.8 $78.8

$69.6 $69.6

13.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.5 $86.5

$62.2 $62.2

39.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 $40.52

$47.79 $47.79

-15.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 $27.10

Cinema Ticket

$13.37 $13.37

$17.83 $17.83

-25.01%

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

$1,388 $1,388

$1,815 $1,815

-23.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K $22.9K

$40.6K $40.6K

-43.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.36 $45.36

$66.2 $66.2

-31.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.45 $40.45

$51.4 $51.4

-21.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$103 $103

-21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 $75.8

$143 $143

-46.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 $1,283

$2,531 $2,531

-49.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 $1,060

$1,621 $1,621

-34.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 $1,750

$4,828 $4,828

-63.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 $1,598

$2,734 $2,734

-41.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,796 $2,796

$4,163 $4,163

-32.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,053 $2,053

$2,723 $2,723

-24.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,953 $7,953

$4,924 $4,924

61.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.78

-2.80%

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

Last update for Brownsburg, IN: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Brownsburg, IN

$1.1K 44.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 53% $561

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Brownsburg, IN

$387 16.3%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 16.4% $64

Groceries & Markets

Brownsburg, IN

$349 14.7%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 25.8% $90

Eating Out

Brownsburg, IN

$323 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 6.6% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Brownsburg, IN

$109 4.6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 50% $55

Getting Around

Brownsburg, IN

$77 3.2%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 26.2% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Brownsburg, IN

$67 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 24.1% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,283 in Brownsburg, IN and $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brownsburg, IN pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75 in Brownsburg, IN vs $89 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $447 per month, with Brownsburg, IN cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Brownsburg, IN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

06:10 6:10 AM

05:10 5:10 AM

1 h behind Brownsburg, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,850

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Brownsburg, IN Chicago, IL 250 km

From you

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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

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

Brownsburg, IN is about 23% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 61% higher in Brownsburg, IN, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,283 in Brownsburg, IN versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Brownsburg, IN runs roughly 22% less than in Chicago, IL. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $1,388 in Brownsburg, IN versus $1,794 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Brownsburg, IN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Chicago, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.