Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Muncie, IN: $2,517 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
120

Cost of Living Index in Muncie, IN
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Muncie, IN Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Muncie, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,517

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,517 in Muncie, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Muncie, IN $2,517

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,706 in Muncie, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Muncie, IN $3,706

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,896 in Muncie, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Muncie, IN $4,896

Chicago, IL costs about 21% more than Muncie, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$14.73 $14.73

40.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$50.6 $50.6

76.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.12 $10.12

30.34%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.86 $4.86

16.46%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.29 $2.29

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.74 $1.74

31.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.55 $5.55

23.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.72 $7.72

14.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.65 $0.65

92.31%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.29 $3.29

13.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.01 $4.01

34.41%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$4.21 $4.21

12.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$12.87 $12.87

7.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$11.00 $11.00

30.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$16.20 $16.20

13.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.76 $5.76

-9.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 $1.65

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.28 $4.28

-5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.61 $4.61

7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.57 $2.57

3.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.32 $3.32

-19.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.04 $2.04

9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.86 $1.86

68.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$10.13 $10.13

36.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.97 $14.97

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.13 $2.13

19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.06 $3.06

14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.14 $2.14

13.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$57.7 $57.7

27.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.78 $3.78

-15.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.27 $1.27

9.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$25.17 $25.17

-0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.90 $0.90

33.33%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

-2.71%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.64%

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

$194 $194

$150 $150

29.80%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$77.8 $77.8

-10.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$73.4 $73.4

-16.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$40.76 $40.76

17.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$15.12 $15.12

17.79%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$1,304 $1,304

37.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$19.7K $19.7K

61.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$20.09 $20.09

233.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$44.59 $44.59

16.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.1 $86.1

17.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$108 $108

32.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$1,556 $1,556

62.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$1,301 $1,301

21.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$2,216 $2,216

113.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,289 $2,289

17.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,238 $1,238

238.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,236 $1,236

123.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,263 $3,263

51.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Muncie, IN: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Muncie, IN

$1.3K 51.7% 17.6% $277

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Muncie, IN

$385 15.3% 13.9% $62

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Muncie, IN

$266 10.6% 22.9% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Muncie, IN

$301 12% 7.5% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Muncie, IN

$117 4.6% 28.9% $47

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Muncie, IN

$76 3% 18.1% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Muncie, IN

$71 2.8% 15% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $1,556 in Muncie, 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 51% 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 $51 in Muncie, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $385 – making Muncie, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Muncie, IN

🕒 Local time

13:04 1:04 PM

14:04 2:04 PM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

65,287

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Chicago, IL Muncie, IN 260 km

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $2,517 in Muncie, IN – roughly 21% 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 $3,775 in Muncie, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Muncie, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,556 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $51 in Muncie, 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 Muncie, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,517, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Muncie, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muncie, 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 Muncie, 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.