Cost of Living: Lafayette, IN vs Carmel, IN

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,332/mo in Lafayette, IN versus $4,332/mo in Carmel, IN. In the model, rent is about 15.14% of gross in Lafayette, IN versus 23.42% in Carmel, IN, so Lafayette, IN tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Lafayette, IN
$4,332/mo
Income level: above
Take-home in Carmel, IN
$4,332/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Lafayette, IN
15.14%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Carmel, IN
23.42%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Lafayette, IN and Carmel, IN.

At a glance

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

Cost of Living Index

Lafayette, IN: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Carmel, IN: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Lafayette, IN: $987/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Carmel, IN: $1,527/mo

Median rent in Carmel, IN is $540/mo higher than in Lafayette, IN.

Median Home Price

Lafayette, IN: $157,600 · Carmel, IN: $455,500

Median home price in Carmel, IN is $297,900 higher than in Lafayette, IN.

Median Household Income

Lafayette, IN: $52,946 · Carmel, IN: $134,602

Carmel, IN has a higher median household income than Lafayette, IN by $81,656.

Lafayette, IN overview · Carmel, IN overview · Popular comparisons