Naperville, IL vs Carmel, IN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Carmel, IN has a modeled overall cost index 18.1% lower than Naperville, IL.

Naperville, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,385 / 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 Naperville, 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 Naperville, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,525/month in Carmel, IN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $131,695 in Carmel, IN

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

Overall Cost

↓ 18.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,525

Savings

Annual Impact

$18.3K

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.

Naperville, IL

Population:150K

Cost Index:

101.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$593K

Carmel, IN

Population:102K

Cost Index:

82.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$559K

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Naperville, IL

The Prairie State

150K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 150K 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: Naperville, 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	Naperville, IL	Carmel, IN	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,461/mo	$1,591/mo	↓ $869less	35.3%
Transportation	$1,498/mo	$1,078/mo	↓ $420less	28.0%
Other	$1,567/mo	$1,443/mo	↓ $124less	7.9%
Groceries	$948/mo	$854/mo	↓ $93.89less	9.9%
All Utilities	$478/mo	$467/mo	↓ $11.07less	2.3%
Healthcare	$548/mo	$541/mo	↓ $6.75less	1.2%

Housing

↓ 35.3%

Naperville, IL

$2,461

Carmel, IN

$1,591

Difference

$869

less

Transportation

↓ 28.0%

Naperville, IL

$1,498

Carmel, IN

$1,078

Difference

$420

less

Other

↓ 7.9%

Naperville, IL

$1,567

Carmel, IN

$1,443

Difference

$124

less

Groceries

↓ 9.9%

Naperville, IL

$948

Carmel, IN

$854

Difference

$93.89

less

All Utilities

↓ 2.3%

Naperville, IL

$478

Carmel, IN

$467

Difference

$11.07

less

Healthcare

↓ 1.2%

Naperville, IL

$548

Carmel, IN

$541

Difference

$6.75

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,980

To$1,560

↓ $420

1 Bed

From$2,115

To$1,765

↓ $350

2 Bed

From$2,385

To$2,055

↓ $330

3 Bed

From$3,070

To$2,660

↓ $410

Naperville, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,010–$2,370/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 Naperville, IL

$5,975

Monthly in Carmel, IN

$1,525

Difference

Home Values

Naperville

Carmel

$593K

Median Value

$559K

↑ +4.6%

YoY Change

↑ +4.2%

↑ +43.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +43.1%

$443K - $665K

Price Range

$557K - $561K

Homes in Carmel are 6% less expensive than Naperville

Calculate payment - Naperville 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

Naperville, 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

Naperville, 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

Naperville

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 Naperville, 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 Naperville, 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 Naperville 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: Naperville, IL vs Carmel, IN

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

Carmel, IN has a modeled overall cost index 18.1% lower than Naperville, 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 Naperville, IL, the model estimates $131,695 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 Naperville, IL and Carmel, IN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,385/month in Naperville, 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