Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Merrillville, IN: $2,522 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.

123

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

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

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Merrillville, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,522

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,522 per month in Merrillville, IN vs $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Merrillville, IN $2,522
Chicago, IL $3,037

A couple spends around $3,513 per month in Merrillville, IN vs $4,518 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Merrillville, IN $3,513
Chicago, IL $4,518

A family of three spends $4,505 per month in Merrillville, IN vs $5,999 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Merrillville, IN $4,505
Chicago, IL $5,999

Merrillville, IN is about 17% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 $14.98

$20.71 $20.71

-27.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 $55.8

$89.2 $89.2

-37.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 $9.94

$13.19 $13.19

-24.64%

Cappuccino

$4.48 $4.48

$5.66 $5.66

-20.85%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$2.64 $2.64

-14.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.28 $2.28

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 $4.40

$6.87 $6.87

-35.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 $5.96

$8.84 $8.84

-32.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.25 $1.25

-41.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.72 $3.72

-14.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$5.39 $5.39

-12.43%

Eggs

$4.72 $4.72

$4.74 $4.74

-0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$13.84 $13.84

-19.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

$14.40 $14.40

-34.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.23 $22.23

$18.38 $18.38

20.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$5.22 $5.22

10.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.98 $1.98

-43.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.06 $4.06

8.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 $5.68

$4.97 $4.97

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.67 $2.67

33.71%

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.66 $2.66

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.24 $2.24

8.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$3.13 $3.13

-61.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 $11.07

$13.82 $13.82

-19.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 $11.88

$14.88 $14.88

-20.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.54 $2.54

-21.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.51 $3.51

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.43 $2.43

-27.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.2 $67.2

$73.5 $73.5

-8.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.18 $3.18

54.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.39 $1.39

30.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.1 $50.1

$25.03 $25.03

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.20 $1.20

-23.33%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-22.19%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.57%

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

$233 $233

$194 $194

20.02%

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

$50.5 $50.5

$69.5 $69.5

-27.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 $59.8

$61.6 $61.6

-3.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.20 $37.20

$47.90 $47.90

-22.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 $14.85

$17.81 $17.81

-16.62%

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

$1,353 $1,353

$1,794 $1,794

-24.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$31.9K $31.9K

-25.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$67.0 $67.0

-20.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 $40.27

$52.1 $52.1

-22.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$102 $102

7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 $95.5

$144 $144

-33.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 $1,400

$2,526 $2,526

-44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 $1,244

$1,578 $1,578

-21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,523 $2,523

$4,738 $4,738

-46.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 $1,796

$2,693 $2,693

-33.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,837 $2,837

$4,190 $4,190

-32.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,031 $2,031

$2,768 $2,768

-26.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

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 Merrillville, 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

Merrillville, IN

$1.2K 49.3%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 26.8% $334

Groceries & Markets

Merrillville, IN

$390 15.5%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 14.8% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Merrillville, IN

$344 13.6%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 5.3% $18

Eating Out

Merrillville, IN

$255 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 35.1% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Merrillville, IN

$134 5.3%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 22.4% $30

Getting Around

Merrillville, IN

$88 3.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 5.9% $5.2

Sport & Entertainment

Merrillville, IN

$67 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 24.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,400 in Merrillville, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Merrillville, IN versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $447 – making Merrillville, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Merrillville, IN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

09:25 9:25 AM

Same time as Merrillville, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,444

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,522 in Merrillville, IN, $3,037 in Chicago, IL – roughly 20% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,783 per month in Merrillville, 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 Merrillville, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,400 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 Merrillville, 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 Merrillville, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,522, than in Chicago, IL at $3,037. In Merrillville, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Merrillville, IN is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 20% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.