Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
96

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

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Anderson, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,007

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Anderson, IN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Anderson, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chicago, IL costs about 51% more than Anderson, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$11.85 $11.85

74.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$45.33 $45.33

96.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.04 $10.04

31.37%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.22 $4.22

34.12%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.52 $2.52

4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.89 $1.89

20.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.55 $3.55

93.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.43 $4.43

99.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.61 $0.61

104.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.16 $2.16

72.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.92 $3.92

37.50%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.78 $3.78

25.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.55 $13.55

2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$25.06 $25.06

-42.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.88 $16.88

8.89%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.88 $5.88

-11.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.88 $1.88

5.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$7.22 $7.22

-43.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.39 $5.39

-7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.69 $2.69

-0.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.15 $3.15

-15.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.29 $2.29

-2.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.74 $2.74

14.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$9.70 $9.70

42.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.10 $19.10

-22.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.71 $1.71

48.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.96 $5.96

-41.11%

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)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.07 $1.07

12.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.1K $28.1K

24.85%

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)

$194 $194

$171 $171

13.60%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$50.6 $50.6

37.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$58.3 $58.3

5.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$25.21 $25.21

90.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.44 $14.44

23.34%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$538 $538

233.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$6,526 $6,526

389.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$39.42 $39.42

70.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$47.34 $47.34

10.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$71.2 $71.2

42.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$123 $123

16.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$952 $952

165.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$840 $840

87.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,428 $1,428

231.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,186 $1,186

127.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,662 $1,662

152.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,651 $1,651

67.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.74

1.04%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Anderson, IN: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Anderson, IN

$840 41.9% 46.8% $738

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Anderson, IN

$487 24.3% 8.8% $39

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Anderson, IN

$220 11% 36.3% $125

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Anderson, IN

$280 14% 14% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Anderson, IN

$126 6.3% 22.9% $38

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Anderson, IN

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Anderson, IN

$54 2.7% 35.2% $29

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $952 in Anderson, IN. 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 $89 in Chicago, IL versus $45 in Anderson, IN. Groceries tell a different story – $447 in Chicago, IL vs $487 in Anderson, IN – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Anderson, IN

🕒 Local time

02:09 2:09 AM

03:09 3:09 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

57,496

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Anderson, IN 260 km

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Chicago, IL
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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

Chicago, IL vs Anderson, IN: 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 $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,010 in Anderson, IN. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,007 in Anderson, IN. That makes Anderson, IN about 34% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,794 per month in Chicago, IL and $538 in Anderson, IN. 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 $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,007 in Anderson, IN. 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.