City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Carmel | Chicago | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,499/mo | $1,314/mo | 14.1% higher in A |
| Median home value | $425,900 | $304,500 | 39.9% higher in A |
| Median household income | $132,859 | $71,673 | 85.4% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 96.3 | 97.2 | 0.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 91.7 | 92.4 | 0.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 96.9 | 98.6 | 1.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.1 | 97.4 | 1.7% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Carmel, you'd need $87,659 in Chicago to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 12.3% cheaper overall than Carmel, IN, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 12% lower in Chicago than in Carmel. If you earn $80,000 in Carmel, you'd need about $70,127 in Chicago to keep the same standard of living.