Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Indianapolis, IN: $2,684 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Indianapolis, IN
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Indianapolis, IN Living Index
147

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

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Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,684

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Indianapolis, IN and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Indianapolis, IN and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,684 per month in Indianapolis, IN vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Indianapolis, IN $2,684
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,851 per month in Indianapolis, IN vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Indianapolis, IN $3,851
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $5,019 per month in Indianapolis, IN vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Indianapolis, IN $5,019
Chicago, IL $5,999

Indianapolis, IN is about 12% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Indianapolis, IN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Indianapolis, IN by 97%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 $19.99

$20.71 $20.71

-3.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 $79.7

$89.2 $89.2

-10.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$13.19 $13.19

-9.86%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$5.66 $5.66

-0.18%

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

$3.31 $3.31

$2.64 $2.64

25.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.28 $2.28

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$6.87 $6.87

-10.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$8.84 $8.84

-8.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.25 $1.25

-31.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.72 $3.72

-12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$5.39 $5.39

-13.91%

Eggs

$3.74 $3.74

$4.74 $4.74

-21.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$13.84 $13.84

-10.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.47 $12.47

$14.40 $14.40

-13.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 $17.35

$18.38 $18.38

-5.60%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$5.22 $5.22

6.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.98 $1.98

-25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.06 $4.06

22.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.97 $4.97

-15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.67 $2.67

-5.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.66 $2.66

9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.24 $2.24

8.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.13 $3.13

-18.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.45 $11.45

$13.82 $13.82

-17.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 $15.56

$14.88 $14.88

4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.54 $2.54

-21.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.51 $3.51

2.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.43 $2.43

-27.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 $60.6

$73.5 $73.5

-17.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.18 $3.18

-35.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.39 $1.39

21.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.96 $33.96

$25.03 $25.03

35.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.20 $1.20

-22.50%

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

$30.7K $30.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-12.26%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.59%

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

$234 $234

$194 $194

20.49%

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

$61.2 $61.2

$69.5 $69.5

-11.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$61.6 $61.6

4.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 $36.87

$47.90 $47.90

-23.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.90 $41.90

$27.34 $27.34

53.26%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$17.81 $17.81

-16.90%

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

$1,736 $1,736

$1,794 $1,794

-3.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

-23.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$67.0 $67.0

-15.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.97 $44.97

$52.1 $52.1

-13.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$102 $102

10.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$144 $144

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 $1,651

$2,526 $2,526

-34.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 $1,278

$1,578 $1,578

-19.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,666 $2,666

$4,738 $4,738

-43.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 $1,909

$2,693 $2,693

-29.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$4,190 $4,190

-33.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,751 $1,751

$2,768 $2,768

-36.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,222 $4,222

$4,931 $4,931

-14.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: October 24, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Indianapolis, IN

$1.3K 47.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 23.5% $300

Groceries & Markets

Indianapolis, IN

$406 15.1%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 10.2% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Indianapolis, IN

$360 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 9.6% $34

Eating Out

Indianapolis, IN

$334 12.5%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 3.2% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Indianapolis, IN

$161 6%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 2.1% $3.4

Getting Around

Indianapolis, IN

$78 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 19.5% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Indianapolis, IN

$66 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 25.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,651 in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. 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 17% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Indianapolis, IN versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $447 – making Indianapolis, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

16:36 4:36 PM

15:36 3:36 PM

1 h behind Indianapolis, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

882,039

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,684 in Indianapolis, IN, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – Indianapolis, IN comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,026 per month in Indianapolis, IN and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Indianapolis, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,651 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80 in Indianapolis, IN and $89 in Chicago, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,684 in Indianapolis, IN and $3,037 in Chicago, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,684 in Indianapolis, IN to $3,037 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Indianapolis, IN. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.