Evanston, IL vs Carmel, IN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Carmel, IN has a modeled overall cost index 16.8% lower than Evanston, IL.

Evanston, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,370 / month
Carmel, IN · modeled 2BR rent: $2,055 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Evanston, IL and Carmel, IN using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Evanston, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,442/month in Carmel, IN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $132,698 in Carmel, IN

Regional cost estimates: Evanston, IL uses Chicago, IL. Carmel, IN uses Indianapolis, IN. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 16.8%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,442

Savings

Annual Impact

$17.3K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Evanston, IL

Population:75K

Cost Index:

99.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$535K

Carmel, IN

Population:102K

Cost Index:

82.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$559K

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Evanston, IL

The Prairie State

75K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 75K residents.

Carmel, IN

The Hoosier State

102K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Indiana, this city has a population of 102K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Evanston, IL vs Carmel, IN

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Evanston, IL	Carmel, IN	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,455/mo	$1,614/mo	↓ $842less	34.3%
Transportation	$1,495/mo	$1,093/mo	↓ $402less	26.9%
Other	$1,564/mo	$1,463/mo	↓ $101less	6.5%
Groceries	$954/mo	$866/mo	↓ $87.54less	9.2%
All Utilities	$481/mo	$474/mo	↓ $7.36less	1.5%
Healthcare	$551/mo	$549/mo	↓ $2.41less	0.4%

Housing

↓ 34.3%

Evanston, IL

$2,455

Carmel, IN

$1,614

Difference

$842

less

Transportation

↓ 26.9%

Evanston, IL

$1,495

Carmel, IN

$1,093

Difference

$402

less

Other

↓ 6.5%

Evanston, IL

$1,564

Carmel, IN

$1,463

Difference

$101

less

Groceries

↓ 9.2%

Evanston, IL

$954

Carmel, IN

$866

Difference

$87.54

less

All Utilities

↓ 1.5%

Evanston, IL

$481

Carmel, IN

$474

Difference

$7.36

less

Healthcare

↓ 0.4%

Evanston, IL

$551

Carmel, IN

$549

Difference

$2.41

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,970

To$1,560

↓ $410

1 Bed

From$2,100

To$1,765

↓ $335

2 Bed

From$2,370

To$2,055

↓ $315

3 Bed

From$3,050

To$2,660

↓ $390

Evanston, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,930–$2,120/mo

Carmel, INZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,750–$1,780/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Evanston, IL

$6,058

Monthly in Carmel, IN

$1,442

Difference

Home Values

Evanston

Carmel

$535K

Median Value

$559K

↑ +6.9%

YoY Change

↑ +4.2%

↑ +25.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +43.1%

$374K - $553K

Price Range

$557K - $561K

Homes in Carmel are 5% more expensive than Evanston

Calculate payment - Evanston Calculate payment - Carmel

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $2.6K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$215

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.7%

Rate difference

Evanston, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Carmel, IN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Indiana State Tax

Effective: 3.2%

$4.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.9%

$41.9K

Take-Home Pay

$9,012/month

$108.1K

Additional Tax Information

Evanston, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Carmel, IN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Evanston

Carmel

54 Moderate

Air Quality

54 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

36.6%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.1°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from Evanston, IL to Carmel, IN

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Carmel, IN for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Evanston, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Evanston to Carmel moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Carmel, IN by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Evanston, IL vs Carmel, IN

How do the cost estimates for Evanston, IL and Carmel, IN compare?

Carmel, IN has a modeled overall cost index 16.8% lower than Evanston, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Evanston, IL, the model estimates $132,698 in Carmel, IN. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Evanston, IL and Carmel, IN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,370/month in Evanston, IL and $2,055/month in Carmel, IN. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Illinois and Indiana on TaxTakeHome.com