Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and La Porte, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in La Porte, IN: $2,570 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
122

Cost of Living Index in La Porte, IN
Learn more

La Porte, IN Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

La Porte, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,570

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,570 in La Porte, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
La Porte, IN $2,570

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,575 in La Porte, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
La Porte, IN $3,575

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,580 in La Porte, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
La Porte, IN $4,580

Chicago, IL costs about 18% more than La Porte, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and La Porte, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, La Porte, IN by 89%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.95 $14.95

38.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$56.1 $56.1

59.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.92 $7.92

66.54%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.44 $4.44

27.48%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$1.52 $1.52

73.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.02 $1.02

123.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.52 $4.52

51.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.90 $5.90

49.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.78 $0.78

60.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.25 $2.25

65.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.55 $4.55

18.46%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.61 $4.61

2.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.28 $11.28

22.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.45 $9.45

52.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$21.91 $21.91

-16.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.70 $5.70

-8.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.12 $1.12

76.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.61 $4.61

-11.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.45 $5.45

-8.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.57 $3.57

-25.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.36 $4.36

-38.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.35 $2.35

-4.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.29 $1.29

142.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.23 $11.23

23.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$12.10 $12.10

22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.08 $2.08

22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.44 $3.44

2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.29 $2.29

6.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$51.0 $51.0

44.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$5.15 $5.15

-38.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.85 $1.85

-24.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$50.1 $50.1

-50.04%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

26.88%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.57%

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

$194 $194

$233 $233

-16.46%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$51.5 $51.5

34.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.6 $59.6

3.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$43.40 $43.40

10.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.94 $14.94

19.21%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,374 $1,374

30.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$26.0K $26.0K

22.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.3 $54.3

23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.09 $40.09

30.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$110 $110

-7.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$95.3 $95.3

50.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,553 $1,553

62.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,322 $1,322

19.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,697 $2,697

75.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,925 $1,925

39.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,895 $2,895

44.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,057 $2,057

34.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$7,262 $7,262

-32.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.53

4.29%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for La Porte, IN: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

La Porte, IN

$1.3K 51.5% 16.2% $256

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

La Porte, IN

$380 14.8% 14.9% $67

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

La Porte, IN

$241 9.4% 30.1% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

La Porte, IN

$344 13.4% 5.6% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

La Porte, IN

$135 5.2% 17.9% $29

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

La Porte, IN

$75 2.9% 20.2% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

La Porte, IN

$73 2.9% 12.3% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,553 in La Porte, 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 47% higher in La Porte, 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 in Chicago, IL versus $56 in La Porte, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $380 – making La Porte, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 La Porte, IN

🕒 Local time

09:25 9:25 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

33,886

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL La Porte, IN 81 km

From you

Chicago, IL
La Porte, IN

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 La Porte, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,570 in La Porte, IN – roughly 18% apart. 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 $3,855 in La Porte, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Porte, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,553 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $56 in La Porte, 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 La Porte, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,570, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In La Porte, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, La Porte, IN is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 18% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.