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 | Lafayette | South Bend | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $976/mo | $935/mo | 4.4% higher in A |
| Median home value | $145,200 | $113,800 | 27.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $50,674 | $49,056 | 3.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 94.9 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 88.0 | 88.9 | 1.1% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.5 | 98.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.1 | 99.2 | ≈ 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 Lafayette, you'd need $99,009 in South Bend to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
South Bend, IN is about 1% cheaper overall than Lafayette, IN, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 3% lower in South Bend than in Lafayette. If you earn $80,000 in Lafayette, you'd need about $79,207 in South Bend to keep the same standard of living.