Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Terre Haute, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Terre Haute, IN: $1,899 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
92

Cost of Living Index in Terre Haute, IN
Learn more

Terre Haute, IN Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Terre Haute, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,899

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,899 in Terre Haute, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Terre Haute, IN $1,899

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,776 in Terre Haute, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Terre Haute, IN $2,776

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,653 in Terre Haute, IN, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Terre Haute, IN $3,653

Chicago, IL costs about 65% more than Terre Haute, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Terre Haute, IN sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Terre Haute, IN by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$19.90 $19.90

3.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$59.1 $59.1

52.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.88 $9.88

30.97%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.92 $4.92

13.82%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.70 $2.70

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.11 $2.11

7.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.57 $4.57

52.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$4.46 $4.46

97.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.70 $0.70

81.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.85 $1.85

105.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.43 $2.43

118.11%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.29 $3.29

44.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$10.51 $10.51

32.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$13.04 $13.04

12.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$11.81 $11.81

58.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.12 $5.12

1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.50 $1.50

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.25 $3.25

20.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.91 $4.91

1.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.94 $1.94

42.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.45 $2.45

12.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.92 $1.92

15.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.93 $1.93

54.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$8.24 $8.24

70.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.53 $12.53

21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.84 $1.84

40.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.43 $2.43

44.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.61 $0.61

304.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.18 $3.18

5.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.37 $1.37

4.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$24.87 $24.87

-2.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.84 $0.84

50.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.4K $35.4K

-1.03%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.37%

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

$193 $193

$197 $197

-2.19%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$38.00 $38.00

79.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$61.9 $61.9

-0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$25.07 $25.07

115.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$11.33 $11.33

56.58%

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

$1,652 $1,652

$1,657 $1,657

-0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$31.9K $31.9K

-2.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$31.87 $31.87

107.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$52.6 $52.6

-2.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$101 $101

-1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$31.99 $31.99

340.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$945 $945

158.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$812 $812

106.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,552 $1,552

203.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,309 $1,309

113.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

$1,214 $1,214

238.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,222 $1,222

116.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,239 $3,239

50.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.66

2.25%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Terre Haute, IN: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Terre Haute, IN

$812 42.8% 51.6% $866

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Terre Haute, IN

$333 17.6% 25.8% $116

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Terre Haute, IN

$299 15.7% 13% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Terre Haute, IN

$297 15.6% 7.9% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Terre Haute, IN

$98 5.2% 39.3% $63

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Terre Haute, IN

$12 * 0.7% 86.9% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Terre Haute, IN

$48 2.5% 46.7% $42

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $945 in Terre Haute, 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 50% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $59.0 in Terre Haute, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $333 – making Terre Haute, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Terre Haute, IN

🕒 Local time

10:40 10:40 AM

11:40 11:40 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

57,259

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Terre Haute, IN 270 km

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $1,899 in Terre Haute, IN – roughly 65% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,849 in Terre Haute, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Terre Haute, 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 $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $59.0 in Terre Haute, IN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 Terre Haute, IN, where all-in costs run around $1,899, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Terre Haute, 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 $1,899 in Terre Haute, IN to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Terre Haute, 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.