Cost of Living: Elkhart, IN vs Chicago, IL

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,332/mo in Elkhart, IN versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 14.3% of gross in Elkhart, IN versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so Elkhart, IN tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Elkhart, IN
$4,332/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Chicago, IL
$4,227/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Elkhart, IN
14.3%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Chicago, IL
20.28%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Elkhart, IN and Chicago, IL.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Elkhart, IN
  • Lower home prices: Elkhart, IN
  • Higher median household income: Chicago, IL

Cost of Living Index

Elkhart, IN: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)

Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than Elkhart, IN, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Elkhart, IN: $932/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo

Median rent in Chicago, IL is $391/mo higher than in Elkhart, IN.

Median Home Price

Elkhart, IN: $126,900 · Chicago, IL: $147,800

Median home price in Chicago, IL is $20,900 higher than in Elkhart, IN.

Median Household Income

Elkhart, IN: $47,885 · Chicago, IL: $56,815

Chicago, IL has a higher median household income than Elkhart, IN by $8,930.

Elkhart, IN overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons