Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Porte, IN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in La Porte, IN: $2,570 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in La Porte, IN
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La Porte, IN Living Index
147

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

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La Porte, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,570

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,570 per month in La Porte, IN vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

La Porte, IN $2,570
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,575 per month in La Porte, IN vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

La Porte, IN $3,575
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,580 per month in La Porte, IN vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

La Porte, IN $4,580
Chicago, IL $5,999

La Porte, IN is about 15% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both La Porte, IN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – La Porte, IN by 89%, Chicago, IL by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$20.71 $20.71

-27.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.1 $56.1

$89.2 $89.2

-37.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 $7.92

$13.19 $13.19

-39.95%

Cappuccino

$4.44 $4.44

$5.66 $5.66

-21.55%

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

$1.52 $1.52

$2.64 $2.64

-42.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.28 $2.28

-55.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 $4.52

$6.87 $6.87

-34.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$8.84 $8.84

-33.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.25 $1.25

-37.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.72 $3.72

-39.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$5.39 $5.39

-15.58%

Eggs

$4.61 $4.61

$4.74 $4.74

-2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 $11.28

$13.84 $13.84

-18.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 $9.45

$14.40 $14.40

-34.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.91 $21.91

$18.38 $18.38

19.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$5.22 $5.22

9.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.98 $1.98

-43.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.06 $4.06

13.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$4.97 $4.97

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.67 $2.67

33.71%

Onion (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.66 $2.66

63.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.24 $2.24

4.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 $1.29

$3.13 $3.13

-58.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 $11.23

$13.82 $13.82

-18.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 $12.10

$14.88 $14.88

-18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.54 $2.54

-18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.51 $3.51

-1.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.43 $2.43

-5.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 $51.0

$73.5 $73.5

-30.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.18 $3.18

61.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.39 $1.39

33.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.1 $50.1

$25.03 $25.03

100.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.20 $1.20

-22.50%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.19%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

0.58%

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

$233 $233

$194 $194

19.70%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$69.5 $69.5

-25.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 $59.6

$61.6 $61.6

-3.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 $43.40

$47.90 $47.90

-9.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$17.81 $17.81

-16.11%

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

$1,374 $1,374

$1,794 $1,794

-23.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.0K $26.0K

$31.9K $31.9K

-18.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$67.0 $67.0

-19.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.09 $40.09

$52.1 $52.1

-23.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$102 $102

7.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 $95.3

$144 $144

-33.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 $1,553

$2,526 $2,526

-38.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 $1,322

$1,578 $1,578

-16.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,697 $2,697

$4,738 $4,738

-43.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 $1,925

$2,693 $2,693

-28.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,895 $2,895

$4,190 $4,190

-30.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,057 $2,057

$2,768 $2,768

-25.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,262 $7,262

$4,931 $4,931

47.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.81

-4.11%

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

Last update for La Porte, IN: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

La Porte, IN

$1.3K 51.5%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 19.3% $256

Groceries & Markets

La Porte, IN

$380 14.8%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 17.6% $67

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Porte, IN

$344 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.3% $18

Eating Out

La Porte, IN

$241 9.4%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 43% $104

Clothing & Footwear

La Porte, IN

$135 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 21.8% $29

Getting Around

La Porte, IN

$75 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 25.3% $19

Sport & Entertainment

La Porte, IN

$73 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 14% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,553 in La Porte, 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 47% higher in La Porte, IN, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in La Porte, IN versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 vs $447 – making La Porte, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 La Porte, IN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:20 8:20 AM

Same time as La Porte, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

33,886

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

La Porte, IN Chicago, IL 81 km

From you

La Porte, IN
Chicago, IL

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,570 in La Porte, IN, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,855 per month in La Porte, 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 La Porte, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,553 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $56 in La Porte, IN and $89 in Chicago, IL. 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 La Porte, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,570, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In La Porte, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, La Porte, IN is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 18% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.