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 | South Bend | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,499/mo | $935/mo | 60.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $425,900 | $113,800 | 274.3% higher in A |
| Median household income | $132,859 | $49,056 | 170.8% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 96.3 | 96.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 91.7 | 91.7 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 96.9 | 96.9 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.1 | 99.1 | ≈ equal |
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 $62,375 in South Bend to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
South Bend, IN is about 37.6% cheaper overall than Carmel, IN, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 38% lower in South Bend than in Carmel. If you earn $80,000 in Carmel, you'd need about $49,900 in South Bend to keep the same standard of living.