Cost of Living: South Bend, 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 South Bend, IN versus $4,227/mo in Chicago, IL. In the model, rent is about 14.57% of gross in South Bend, IN versus 20.28% in Chicago, IL, so South Bend, IN tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between South Bend, IN and Chicago, IL.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Chicago, IL
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): South Bend, IN
- Lower home prices: South Bend, IN
- Higher median household income: Chicago, IL
Cost of Living Index
South Bend, IN: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Chicago, IL: 98.3 (U.S. = 100)
Chicago, IL has a lower cost-of-living index than South Bend, IN, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
South Bend, IN: $950/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Chicago, IL: $1,323/mo
Median rent in Chicago, IL is $373/mo higher than in South Bend, IN.
Median Home Price
South Bend, IN: $124,500 · Chicago, IL: $147,800
Median home price in Chicago, IL is $23,300 higher than in South Bend, IN.
Median Household Income
South Bend, IN: $52,512 · Chicago, IL: $56,815
Chicago, IL has a higher median household income than South Bend, IN by $4,303.
South Bend, IN overview · Chicago, IL overview · Popular comparisons