Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Indianapolis, IN: $2,684 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 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
130

Cost of Living Index in Indianapolis, IN
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Indianapolis, IN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,684

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,684 in Indianapolis, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Indianapolis, IN $2,684

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,851 in Indianapolis, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Indianapolis, IN $3,851

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $5,019 in Indianapolis, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Indianapolis, IN $5,019

Chicago, IL costs about 13% more than Indianapolis, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Indianapolis, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Indianapolis, IN by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$19.99 $19.99

3.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$79.7 $79.7

11.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.89 $11.89

10.93%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.65 $5.65

0.18%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.31 $3.31

-20.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.64 $2.64

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.18 $6.18

11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.06 $8.06

9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.86 $0.86

45.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.27 $3.27

13.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.64 $4.64

16.16%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$3.74 $3.74

26.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.44 $12.44

11.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$12.47 $12.47

15.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$17.35 $17.35

5.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.58 $5.58

-6.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.47 $1.47

34.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.96 $4.96

-18.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.22 $4.22

17.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.52 $2.52

5.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.91 $2.91

-8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.43 $2.43

-7.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.54 $2.54

23.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.45 $11.45

20.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$15.56 $15.56

-4.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.00 $2.00

27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.59 $3.59

-2.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.76 $1.76

38.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$60.6 $60.6

21.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.05 $2.05

55.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.69 $1.69

-17.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$33.96 $33.96

-26.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.93 $0.93

29.03%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.7K $30.7K

13.97%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.73%

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

$194 $194

$234 $234

-17.00%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$61.2 $61.2

13.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$64.5 $64.5

-4.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$36.87 $36.87

29.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$41.90 $41.90

-34.75%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.80 $14.80

20.34%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,736 $1,736

3.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$24.5K $24.5K

30.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$56.5 $56.5

18.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.97 $44.97

15.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$112 $112

-9.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$143 $143

0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,651 $1,651

53.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,278 $1,278

23.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,666 $2,666

77.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,909 $1,909

41.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,768 $2,768

51.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,751 $1,751

58.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$4,222 $4,222

16.77%

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 Indianapolis, IN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Indianapolis, IN

$1.3K 47.6% 19% $300

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Indianapolis, IN

$406 15.1% 9.2% $41

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Indianapolis, IN

$334 12.5% 3.1% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Indianapolis, IN

$360 13.4% 10.6% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Indianapolis, IN

$161 6% 2.1% $3.4

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Indianapolis, IN

$78 2.9% 16.3% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Indianapolis, IN

$66 2.5% 20.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,651 in Indianapolis, 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 17% 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 $80 in Indianapolis, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $406 – making Indianapolis, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Indianapolis, IN

🕒 Local time

14:23 2:23 PM

15:23 3:23 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

882,039

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Indianapolis, IN 260 km

From you

Chicago, IL
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,684 in Indianapolis, IN – Indianapolis, IN comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $4,026 in Indianapolis, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Indianapolis, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,651 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $80 in Indianapolis, IN. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,037 in Chicago, IL and $2,684 in Indianapolis, IN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,684 in Indianapolis, IN to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Indianapolis, 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.