Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in East Chicago, IN: $2,605 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 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
126

Cost of Living Index in East Chicago, IN
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East Chicago, IN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

East Chicago, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,605 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
East Chicago, IN $2,605

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,819 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
East Chicago, IN $3,819

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,034 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
East Chicago, IN $5,034

Chicago, IL costs about 17% more than East Chicago, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and East Chicago, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, East Chicago, IN by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$22.32 $22.32

-7.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$65.1 $65.1

37.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.87 $11.87

11.12%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.63 $5.63

0.53%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.28 $2.28

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.05 $2.05

11.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.81 $6.81

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$6.27 $6.27

40.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.06 $1.06

17.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.05 $3.05

21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.75 $4.75

13.47%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.58 $3.58

32.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$13.42 $13.42

3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.42 $12.42

15.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$18.70 $18.70

-1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.08 $5.08

2.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.55 $1.55

27.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.28 $4.28

-5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.13 $4.13

20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.79 $2.79

-4.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.07 $3.07

-13.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.23 $2.23

0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.23 $2.23

40.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.24 $10.24

34.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$17.19 $17.19

-13.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.98 $1.98

28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.10 $3.10

13.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.86 $1.86

30.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$51.2 $51.2

43.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.41 $3.41

-6.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.56 $1.56

-10.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$28.94 $28.94

-13.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.94 $0.94

27.66%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$28.8K $28.8K

21.58%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$24.9K $24.9K

7.04%

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

$194 $194

$199 $199

-2.38%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$57.1 $57.1

21.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.7 $69.7

-11.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.38 $34.38

39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$12.97 $12.97

37.32%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,336 $1,336

34.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$21.6K $21.6K

47.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$55.8 $55.8

20.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$37.96 $37.96

37.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$91.3 $91.3

11.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$108 $108

32.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,578 $1,578

60.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,265 $1,265

24.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,539 $2,539

86.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,140 $2,140

25.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,920 $2,920

43.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,165 $2,165

27.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,091 $4,091

20.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.57

3.65%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for East Chicago, IN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

East Chicago, IN

$1.3K 48.6% 19.8% $313

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

East Chicago, IN

$406 15.6% 9.3% $41

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

East Chicago, IN

$346 13.3% 0.2% $0.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

East Chicago, IN

$326 12.5% 0.1% $0.5

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

East Chicago, IN

$132 5.1% 19.6% $32

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

East Chicago, IN

$70 2.7% 25.2% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

East Chicago, IN

$60 2.3% 27.8% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,578 in East Chicago, IN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $65 in East Chicago, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $406 – making East Chicago, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 East Chicago, IN

🕒 Local time

09:25 9:25 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

26,370

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL East Chicago, IN 30 km

From you

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 East Chicago, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,605 in East Chicago, IN – roughly 17% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,907 in East Chicago, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East Chicago, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,578 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $65 in East Chicago, IN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,605 in East Chicago, IN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with East Chicago, IN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.