Route comparison
Chicago, IL vs Indianapolis, IN: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Chicago, IL and Indianapolis, IN. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Chicago, IL
IL
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 105.7
- Housing RPP
- 110.9
- Goods RPP
- 106.7
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,714/mo
Illinois flat income tax 4.95%. Chicago city tax adds ~2.25% effective burden.
Indianapolis, IN
IN
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 93.7
- Housing RPP
- 84.6
- Goods RPP
- 93
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,349/mo
Indiana flat income tax 3.15% + county tax.
Equivalent salary
Indianapolis, IN is cheaper than Chicago, IL by about 11.4% (RPP 105.7 to 93.7).
$60,000 in Chicago, IL
-> $53,188
in Indianapolis, IN
$100,000 in Chicago, IL
-> $88,647
in Indianapolis, IN
$150,000 in Chicago, IL
-> $132,971
in Indianapolis, IN
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: Chicago, IL vs Indianapolis, IN
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Chicago, IL
- Net people
- −73,936
- Net rank
- #63 of 65
- Top origin share
- 1%
- Top destination share
- 2%
Largest source: Los Angeles County, CA. Largest destination: Maricopa County, AZ.
Indianapolis, IN
- Net people
- +2,065
- Net rank
- #25 of 65
- Top origin share
- 1%
- Top destination share
- 1%
Largest source: Cook County, IL. Largest destination: Delaware County, IN.
Rent delta: Indianapolis, IN is $365/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Chicago, IL. Housing RPP moves from 110.9 to 84.6.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Indianapolis, IN cheaper or more expensive than Chicago, IL?
- Indianapolis, IN (RPP 93.7) is cheaper than Chicago, IL (RPP 105.7) by about 11.4%.
- What salary do I need in Indianapolis, IN if I earn $100,000 in Chicago, IL?
- You would need approximately $88,647 in Indianapolis, IN to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Chicago, IL. Formula: $100,000 x (93.7 / 105.7).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Chicago, IL or Indianapolis, IN?
- For 2021-2022, Chicago, IL had a net loss of 73,936 people, while Indianapolis, IN had a net gain of 2,065 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.