Cost of Living Comparison Between Montclair, NJ and Indianapolis, IN Cost of Living Comparison Between Montclair, NJ and Indianapolis, IN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,917 in Montclair, NJ versus $2,753 in Indianapolis, IN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,262 in Montclair, NJ versus $3,880 in Indianapolis, IN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,606 in Montclair, NJ versus $5,007 in Indianapolis, IN.

Living in Montclair, NJ is roughly 6% more expensive than in Indianapolis, IN, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montclair, NJ 112% above, Indianapolis, IN 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$19.64 $19.64

3.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.8 $79.8

$79.3 $79.3

0.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.79 $12.79

$11.85 $11.85

7.93%

Cappuccino

$6.32 $6.32

$5.63 $5.63

12.26%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$3.19 $3.19

-22.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.69 $2.69

-43.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$6.34 $6.34

23.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$8.21 $8.21

-14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.93 $0.93

35.48%

White Bread (500g)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.93 $2.93

52.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$4.64 $4.64

32.97%

Eggs

$5.58 $5.58

$3.62 $3.62

54.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 $13.75

$12.43 $12.43

10.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$12.40 $12.40

-18.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.58 $17.58

$17.12 $17.12

2.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$5.32 $5.32

12.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.47 $1.47

53.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.80 $4.80

-8.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.15 $4.15

28.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.42 $2.42

23.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.90 $2.90

24.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.37 $2.37

13.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.44 $2.44

0.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.64 $17.64

$10.14 $10.14

73.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$15.88 $15.88

-5.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.06 $2.06

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.58 $3.58

2.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.98 $1.98

48.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.73 $1.73

27.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.82 $41.82

$34.10 $34.10

22.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.95 $0.95

9.47%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$36.6K $36.6K

-1.53%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.9K $25.9K

-1.44%

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

$171 $171

$228 $228

-24.96%

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

$50.6 $50.6

$67.0 $67.0

-24.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.66 $49.66

$69.4 $69.4

-28.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 $80.3

$40.18 $40.18

99.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.14 $41.14

Cinema Ticket

$20.56 $20.56

$14.78 $14.78

39.11%

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

$1,754 $1,754

$1,777 $1,777

-1.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$24.5K $24.5K

-35.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$57.8 $57.8

18.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$43.78 $43.78

23.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$112 $112

-9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$142 $142

-17.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,299 $2,299

$1,747 $1,747

31.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 $1,549

$1,360 $1,360

13.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,759 $3,759

$2,587 $2,587

45.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 $2,627

$1,873 $1,873

40.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,828 $2,828

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,896 $1,896

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,502 $4,502

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

6.14

2.61%

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

Last update for Montclair, NJ: August 30, 2026

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,299 in Montclair, NJ and $1,747 in Indianapolis, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in Montclair, NJ vs $79.0 in Indianapolis, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 vs $399 per month, with Indianapolis, IN cheaper across the board.

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

Montclair, NJ vs Indianapolis, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Indianapolis, IN wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Montclair, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Indianapolis, IN the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $4,375 in Montclair, NJ and $4,129 in Indianapolis, IN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,299 in Montclair, NJ versus $1,747 in Indianapolis, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,754 in Montclair, NJ versus $1,777 in Indianapolis, IN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Indianapolis, IN – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $80.0 in Montclair, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Indianapolis, IN is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Indianapolis, IN delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,753 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Indianapolis, IN hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Montclair, NJ and Indianapolis, IN 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 Indianapolis, IN gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Montclair, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.