Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Pullman, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Pullman, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,679 in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,293 in Pullman, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,929 in Indianapolis, IN versus $3,391 in Pullman, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,179 in Indianapolis, IN versus $4,489 in Pullman, WA.

Living in Indianapolis, IN is roughly 17% more expensive than in Pullman, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Indianapolis, IN 101% above, Pullman, WA 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.48 $25.48

$16.29 $16.29

56.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.3 $75.3

$65.6 $65.6

14.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 $10.79

$8.67 $8.67

24.45%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$4.34 $4.34

21.89%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$2.11 $2.11

36.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.86 $1.86

26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$6.04 $6.04

-2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.41 $5.41

48.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.02 $1.02

-24.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.79 $3.79

-21.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.97 $3.97

29.47%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$5.65 $5.65

-36.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 $9.27

$21.59 $21.59

-57.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 $10.97

$14.17 $14.17

-22.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.62 $14.62

$19.71 $19.71

-25.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.72 $3.72

37.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$2.02 $2.02

-35.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.65 $3.65

62.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$7.17 $7.17

-56.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.39 $2.39

-10.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.61 $2.61

1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$3.32 $3.32

-44.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.94 $2.94

-30.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.14 $9.14

$8.46 $8.46

8.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.36 $15.36

$16.93 $16.93

-9.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.75 $1.75

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$8.88 $8.88

-74.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.01 $1.01

70.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 $59.1

$30.10 $30.10

96.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$4.05 $4.05

-49.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.96 $33.96

$29.40 $29.40

15.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.93 $0.93

-3.23%

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

$33.3K $33.3K

$20.1K $20.1K

65.93%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$19.6K $19.6K

26.10%

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

$239 $239

$105 $105

128.52%

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

$64.2 $64.2

$84.9 $84.9

-24.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$58.2 $58.2

27.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 $36.08

$29.44 $29.44

22.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.38 $31.38

$9.98 $9.98

214.43%

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 $14.53

$15.24 $15.24

-4.66%

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

$1,738 $1,738

$1,213 $1,213

43.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K $27.0K

$23.1K $23.1K

16.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.07 $48.07

$52.2 $52.2

-7.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.14 $41.14

$22.47 $22.47

83.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 $98.3

$98.4 $98.4

-0.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$162 $162

-22.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 $1,754

$1,183 $1,183

48.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 $1,300

$1,013 $1,013

28.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,808 $2,808

$2,130 $2,130

31.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 $2,083

$1,695 $1,695

22.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,743 $2,743

$2,276 $2,276

20.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 $1,922

$2,236 $2,236

-14.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,597 $4,597

$3,475 $3,475

32.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.3

3.81%

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

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: July 28, 2026

Last update for Pullman, WA: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,754 in Indianapolis, IN and $1,183 in Pullman, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Indianapolis, IN pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75.0 in Indianapolis, IN vs $66.0 in Pullman, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $359 vs $484, with Indianapolis, IN cheaper for home cooking.

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

Indianapolis, IN vs Pullman, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pullman, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Indianapolis, IN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pullman, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Indianapolis, IN, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,754 in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,183 in Pullman, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pullman, WA – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $75.0 in Indianapolis, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,679 per month in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,293 in Pullman, WA – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,293 in Pullman, WA versus $2,679 in Indianapolis, IN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Pullman, WA but tight or insufficient in Indianapolis, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Pullman, WA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pullman, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pullman, WA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Indianapolis, IN and Pullman, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pullman, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Indianapolis, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.