Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Terre Haute, IN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Terre Haute, IN: $1,899 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Terre Haute, IN
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Terre Haute, IN Living Index
152

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

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Terre Haute, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,899

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,899 per month in Terre Haute, IN vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Terre Haute, IN $1,899
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $2,776 per month in Terre Haute, IN vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Terre Haute, IN $2,776
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $3,653 per month in Terre Haute, IN vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Terre Haute, IN $3,653
Chicago, IL $6,115

Terre Haute, IN is about 39% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Terre Haute, IN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Terre Haute, IN by 40%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.90 $19.90

$20.65 $20.65

-3.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$90.2 $90.2

-34.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$12.94 $12.94

-23.65%

Cappuccino

$4.92 $4.92

$5.60 $5.60

-12.14%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$2.64 $2.64

2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.27 $2.27

-7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 $4.57

$6.98 $6.98

-34.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 $4.46

$8.83 $8.83

-49.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.27 $1.27

-44.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 $1.85

$3.80 $3.80

-51.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$5.30 $5.30

-54.15%

Eggs

$3.29 $3.29

$4.76 $4.76

-30.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 $10.51

$13.96 $13.96

-24.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.04 $13.04

$14.61 $14.61

-10.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.81 $11.81

$18.77 $18.77

-37.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$5.19 $5.19

-1.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.98 $1.98

-24.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.93 $3.93

-17.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$4.96 $4.96

-1.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.76 $2.76

-29.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.76 $2.76

-11.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.22 $2.22

-13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.98 $2.98

-35.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 $8.24

$14.02 $14.02

-41.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.53 $12.53

$15.28 $15.28

-18.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.58 $2.58

-28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.50 $3.50

-30.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 $0.61

$2.47 $2.47

-75.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.34 $3.34

-4.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.43 $1.43

-4.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.87 $24.87

$24.32 $24.32

2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.26 $1.26

-33.33%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

1.04%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.39%

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

$197 $197

$193 $193

2.24%

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

$38.00 $38.00

$68.3 $68.3

-44.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 $61.9

$61.3 $61.3

0.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.07 $25.07

$54.1 $54.1

-53.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$11.33 $11.33

$17.74 $17.74

-36.13%

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

$1,657 $1,657

$1,652 $1,652

0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$31.1K $31.1K

2.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.87 $31.87

$66.1 $66.1

-51.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 $52.6

$51.2 $51.2

2.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$100 $100

1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.99 $31.99

$141 $141

-77.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 $945

$2,446 $2,446

-61.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 $812

$1,678 $1,678

-51.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 $1,552

$4,717 $4,717

-67.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 $1,309

$2,795 $2,795

-53.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,214 $1,214

$4,105 $4,105

-70.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 $1,222

$2,650 $2,650

-53.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,239 $3,239

$4,866 $4,866

-33.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.81

-2.20%

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

Last update for Terre Haute, IN: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Terre Haute, IN

$812 42.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 107% $866

Groceries & Markets

Terre Haute, IN

$333 17.6%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 34.8% $116

Eating Out

Terre Haute, IN

$299 15.7%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 14.9% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Terre Haute, IN

$297 15.6%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 8.5% $25

Clothing & Footwear

Terre Haute, IN

$98 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 64.7% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Terre Haute, IN

$48 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 87.7% $42

Getting Around

Terre Haute, IN

$12 * 0.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 663% $83

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $945 in Terre Haute, IN versus $2,446 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 50% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Terre Haute, IN versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $449 – making Terre Haute, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Terre Haute, IN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

10:54 10:54 AM

09:54 9:54 AM

1 h behind Terre Haute, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

57,259

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Terre Haute, IN Chicago, IL 270 km

From you

Terre Haute, IN
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,899 in Terre Haute, IN, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 65% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,849 per month in Terre Haute, IN and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Terre Haute, IN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Terre Haute, IN and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Terre Haute, IN, where all-in costs run around $1,899, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Terre Haute, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,899 in Terre Haute, IN to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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