Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Elkhart, IN: $1,882 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 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
90

Cost of Living Index in Elkhart, IN
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Elkhart, IN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Elkhart, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,882

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,882 in Elkhart, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Elkhart, IN $1,882

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,706 in Elkhart, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Elkhart, IN $2,706

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,530 in Elkhart, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Elkhart, IN $3,530

Chicago, IL costs about 61% more than Elkhart, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Elkhart, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Elkhart, IN by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$9.89 $9.89

109.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$39.59 $39.59

125.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.92 $9.92

32.96%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$1.79 $1.79

216.20%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.72 $2.72

-2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.56 $1.56

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.77 $3.77

82.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.54 $5.54

59.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.79 $0.79

58.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.23 $1.23

202.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$1.97 $1.97

173.60%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.78 $2.78

70.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$4.75 $4.75

191.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.61 $16.61

-13.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$15.70 $15.70

17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$3.48 $3.48

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.46 $1.46

35.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.54 $1.54

163.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.33 $1.33

273.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.45 $0.45

493.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.14 $2.14

24.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.48 $1.48

51.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.92 $2.92

7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.74 $8.74

58.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.82 $11.82

25.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.31 $2.31

9.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$5.08 $5.08

-30.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$25.11 $25.11

192.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$9.97 $9.97

-68.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.09 $3.09

-55.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$10.09 $10.09

148.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.81 $0.81

48.15%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$31.0K $31.0K

12.97%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

4.73%

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

$194 $194

$234 $234

-16.91%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$63.3 $63.3

9.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$51.8 $51.8

18.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$14.77 $14.77

224.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$4.92 $4.92

455.69%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$11.00 $11.00

61.91%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$650 $650

175.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$34.94 $34.94

91.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$15.18 $15.18

243.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$67.9 $67.9

49.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$80.7 $80.7

78.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,007 $1,007

150.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$864 $864

82.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,473 $1,473

221.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,478 $1,478

82.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,638 $1,638

155.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,640 $1,640

68.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,375 $3,375

46.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.39

6.57%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Elkhart, IN: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Elkhart, IN

$864 45.9% 45.2% $714

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Elkhart, IN

$314 16.7% 29.7% $133

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Elkhart, IN

$177 9.4% 48.6% $168

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Elkhart, IN

$349 18.6% 7.2% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Elkhart, IN

$89 4.8% 45.5% $75

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Elkhart, IN

$51 * 2.7% 45.9% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Elkhart, IN

$37 2% 56% $47

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 $1,007 in Elkhart, 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 46% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $40 in Elkhart, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $314 – making Elkhart, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Elkhart, IN

🕒 Local time

22:09 10:09 PM

23:09 11:09 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

52,748

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Elkhart, IN 140 km

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,882 in Elkhart, IN – Elkhart, IN comes out roughly 38% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,823 in Elkhart, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elkhart, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,007 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $40 in Elkhart, IN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Elkhart, IN, where all-in costs run around $1,882, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Elkhart, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elkhart, 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 Elkhart, IN. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.