Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Merrillville, IN: $2,522 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 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
123

Cost of Living Index in Merrillville, IN
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Merrillville, IN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Merrillville, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,522

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,522 in Merrillville, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Merrillville, IN $2,522

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,513 in Merrillville, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Merrillville, IN $3,513

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,505 in Merrillville, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Merrillville, IN $4,505

Chicago, IL costs about 20% more than Merrillville, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Merrillville, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Merrillville, IN by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.98 $14.98

38.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$55.8 $55.8

59.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$9.94 $9.94

32.70%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.48 $4.48

26.34%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.27 $2.27

16.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.22 $2.22

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.40 $4.40

56.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$5.96 $5.96

48.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.73 $0.73

71.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.19 $3.19

16.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.72 $4.72

14.19%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.72 $4.72

0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$11.08 $11.08

24.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$9.40 $9.40

53.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$22.23 $22.23

-17.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.78 $5.78

-9.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.12 $1.12

76.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.39 $4.39

-7.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.68 $5.68

-12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.57 $3.57

-25.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.34 $4.34

-38.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.44 $2.44

-8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.22 $1.22

156.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$11.07 $11.07

24.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$11.88 $11.88

25.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.99 $1.99

27.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.46 $3.46

1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.75 $1.75

38.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$67.2 $67.2

9.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.91 $4.91

-35.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.81 $1.81

-23.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$50.1 $50.1

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.92 $0.92

30.43%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.51%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.64%

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

$194 $194

$233 $233

-16.68%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$50.5 $50.5

37.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$59.8 $59.8

3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$37.20 $37.20

28.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$14.85 $14.85

19.93%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,353 $1,353

32.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.8K $23.8K

34.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$53.2 $53.2

25.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.27 $40.27

29.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$109 $109

-6.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$95.5 $95.5

50.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,400 $1,400

80.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,244 $1,244

26.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,523 $2,523

87.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,796 $1,796

49.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$2,837 $2,837

47.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$2,031 $2,031

36.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Merrillville, IN: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Merrillville, IN

$1.2K 49.3% 21.2% $334

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Merrillville, IN

$390 15.5% 12.9% $58

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Merrillville, IN

$255 10.1% 26% $90

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Merrillville, IN

$344 13.6% 5.6% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Merrillville, IN

$134 5.3% 18.3% $30

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Merrillville, IN

$88 3.5% 5.6% $5.2

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Merrillville, IN

$67 2.7% 19.9% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,400 in Merrillville, IN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $56 in Merrillville, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $390 – making Merrillville, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Merrillville, IN

🕒 Local time

10:15 10:15 AM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

36,444

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Merrillville, IN 50 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 Merrillville, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,522 in Merrillville, IN – roughly 20% 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 $3,783 in Merrillville, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merrillville, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,400 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 Merrillville, 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 Merrillville, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,522, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Merrillville, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Merrillville, IN is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 20% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.