Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between West Lafayette, IN and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in West Lafayette, IN: $2,367 a month against $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

115

Cost of Living Index in West Lafayette, IN
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West Lafayette, IN Living Index
153

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

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West Lafayette, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,367

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,367 per month in West Lafayette, IN vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Lafayette, IN $2,367
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $3,442 per month in West Lafayette, IN vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Lafayette, IN $3,442
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $4,516 per month in West Lafayette, IN vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

West Lafayette, IN $4,516
Chicago, IL $6,077

West Lafayette, IN is about 26% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both West Lafayette, IN and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – West Lafayette, IN by 75%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.91 $11.91

$21.58 $21.58

-44.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 $65.4

$88.7 $88.7

-26.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 $6.34

$13.20 $13.20

-51.97%

Cappuccino

$4.45 $4.45

$5.59 $5.59

-20.39%

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

$1.85 $1.85

$2.63 $2.63

-29.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.26 $2.26

-33.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$7.11 $7.11

-28.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$9.23 $9.23

-61.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.28 $1.28

-46.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 $3.24

$3.84 $3.84

-15.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$5.07 $5.07

-59.96%

Eggs

$3.81 $3.81

$4.84 $4.84

-21.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.15 $22.15

$14.17 $14.17

56.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$14.61 $14.61

-58.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.39 $27.39

$18.76 $18.76

46.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$5.19 $5.19

-17.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.00 $2.00

-39.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.00 $4.00

-15.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$4.98 $4.98

1.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.79 $2.79

20.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.65 $2.65

28.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.13 $2.13

-3.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.09 $3.09

-23.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 $11.87

$16.05 $16.05

-26.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 $11.21

$15.20 $15.20

-26.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.62 $2.62

-32.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.46 $3.46

45.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.47 $2.47

-58.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.97 $27.97

$75.1 $75.1

-62.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.21 $3.21

75.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.39 $1.39

-30.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.26 $18.26

$25.02 $25.02

-27.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.24 $1.24

-29.84%

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$37.2K $37.2K

1.02%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.67%

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

$161 $161

$192 $192

-16.21%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$67.8 $67.8

-19.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 $64.4

$60.9 $60.9

5.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.59 $30.59

$53.6 $53.6

-42.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.47 $12.47

$27.90 $27.90

-55.30%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 $13.45

$17.80 $17.80

-24.44%

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

$1,018 $1,018

$1,554 $1,554

-34.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.3 $75.3

$67.9 $67.9

10.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.90 $41.90

$50.8 $50.8

-17.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 $68.8

$101 $101

-32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 $88.9

$143 $143

-37.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 $1,410

$2,383 $2,383

-40.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 $1,246

$1,712 $1,712

-27.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,390 $2,390

$4,674 $4,674

-48.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 $1,994

$2,738 $2,738

-27.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,785 $1,785

$4,158 $4,158

-57.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,812 $1,812

$2,691 $2,691

-32.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,691 $8,691

$4,894 $4,894

77.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.77

-4.14%

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

Last update for West Lafayette, IN: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

West Lafayette, IN

$1.2K 52.6%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 37.4% $466

Groceries & Markets

West Lafayette, IN

$404 17.1%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 11.8% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

West Lafayette, IN

$280 11.8%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 14.6% $41

Eating Out

West Lafayette, IN

$214 9%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 65.2% $139

Clothing & Footwear

West Lafayette, IN

$124 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 32.2% $40

Sport & Entertainment

West Lafayette, IN

$57 2.4%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 55.1% $32

Getting Around

West Lafayette, IN

$43 1.8%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 124% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,410 in West Lafayette, IN versus $2,383 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 78% higher in West Lafayette, 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 $65.0 in West Lafayette, IN versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $404 vs $451 – making West Lafayette, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 West Lafayette, IN

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:14 4:14 AM

03:14 3:14 AM

1 h behind West Lafayette, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,997

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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West Lafayette, IN Chicago, IL 170 km

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West Lafayette, IN
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,367 in West Lafayette, IN, $3,185 in Chicago, IL – roughly 35% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,551 per month in West Lafayette, IN and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $65.0 in West Lafayette, IN and $89.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in West Lafayette, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,367, than in Chicago, IL at $3,185. In West Lafayette, 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 $2,367 in West Lafayette, IN to $3,185 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with West Lafayette, 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.