Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Kokomo, IN: $2,013 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
98

Cost of Living Index in Kokomo, IN
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Kokomo, IN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Kokomo, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,013

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,185 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,013 in Kokomo, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,185
Kokomo, IN $2,013

A couple spends around $4,631 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,867 in Kokomo, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,631
Kokomo, IN $2,867

A family of three spends $6,077 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,720 in Kokomo, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,077
Kokomo, IN $3,720

Chicago, IL costs about 58% more than Kokomo, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Kokomo, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 136%, Kokomo, IN by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.58 $21.58

$13.80 $13.80

56.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.7 $88.7

$69.3 $69.3

27.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.20 $13.20

$10.08 $10.08

30.95%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$4.12 $4.12

35.68%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.48 $2.48

6.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.82 $1.82

24.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$6.79 $6.79

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.23 $9.23

$4.52 $4.52

104.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.74 $0.74

72.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.75 $2.75

39.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.89 $1.89

168.25%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$3.17 $3.17

52.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$6.63 $6.63

113.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$15.55 $15.55

-6.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.76 $18.76

$16.78 $16.78

11.80%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.64 $4.64

11.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.24 $1.24

61.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.26 $3.26

22.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.80 $3.80

31.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.71 $2.71

2.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.57 $2.57

3.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.28 $1.28

141.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.05 $16.05

$7.48 $7.48

114.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$19.72 $19.72

-22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.71 $1.71

53.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$6.05 $6.05

-42.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.1 $75.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 $3.21

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.19 $3.19

-56.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 $25.02

$14.91 $14.91

67.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.87 $0.87

42.53%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$36.6K $36.6K

1.49%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

0.26%

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

$192 $192

$200 $200

-3.79%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$51.3 $51.3

32.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$57.7 $57.7

5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 $53.6

$19.82 $19.82

170.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$13.99 $13.99

27.23%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$533 $533

191.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$6,507 $6,507

382.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$39.32 $39.32

72.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$47.77 $47.77

6.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$69.5 $69.5

45.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$119 $119

19.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,383 $2,383

$848 $848

181.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$903 $903

89.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,674 $4,674

$1,428 $1,428

227.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 $2,738

$1,284 $1,284

113.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,158 $4,158

$1,315 $1,315

216.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,691 $2,691

$1,323 $1,323

103.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,894 $4,894

$5,604 $5,604

-12.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

12.83%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kokomo, IN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8%

Kokomo, IN

$903 44.9% 47.3% $809

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2%

Kokomo, IN

$363 18% 19.5% $88

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1%

Kokomo, IN

$250 12.4% 29.1% $103

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1%

Kokomo, IN

$309 15.3% 3.8% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1%

Kokomo, IN

$124 6.2% 24% $39

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Kokomo, IN

$16 * 0.8% 83.2% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8%

Kokomo, IN

$48 2.4% 46.4% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,383 in Chicago, IL versus $848 in Kokomo, 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 15% higher in Kokomo, IN, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL versus $69.0 in Kokomo, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $451 vs $363 – making Kokomo, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Kokomo, IN

🕒 Local time

00:44 12:44 AM

01:44 1:44 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

57,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Kokomo, IN 200 km

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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 Kokomo, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,185 in Chicago, IL, $2,013 in Kokomo, IN – roughly 58% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,777 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,020 in Kokomo, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kokomo, IN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Chicago, IL and $69.0 in Kokomo, IN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kokomo, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,013, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In Kokomo, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,013 in Kokomo, IN to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kokomo, 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.