Cost of Living in Indianapolis, IN (2026)

Indianapolis's cost of living is 4% below the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $104,498 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Indianapolis has a cost-of-living index of 96 against a US average of 100 — about 4% below average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $104,498 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Indianapolis

MeasureIndianapolisUS average
Cost-of-living index96100
Median rent$1,112/mo-
Median home value$207,000-
Median household income$62,995-
Population882,043-

Monthly cost breakdown in Indianapolis

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,112$1,202
Transport$824$824
Food$648$648
Healthcare$407$407
Other$1,447$1,447
Total$4,438$4,528

Affordability in Indianapolis

Median rent takes about 21.2% of the median household income in Indianapolis — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 3.3x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Indianapolis

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$126,680$132,378
Software Developer$106,740$111,541
Physical Therapist$102,500$107,110
Mechanical Engineer$92,930$97,110
Financial Analyst$83,850$87,621
Data Scientist$81,510$85,176
Dental Hygienist$81,126$84,775
Registered Nurse$80,290$83,901

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Indianapolis’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Indianapolis has a cost-of-living index of 96 against a US average of 100, so it is about 4% below the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Indianapolis has roughly the purchasing power of $104,498 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Indianapolis's median rent of $1,112/month that implies about $44,480 a year before tax. The median household in Indianapolis earns $62,995.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $4,438 a month in Indianapolis across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $4,528 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Indianapolis costs $207,000, which is 3.3x the median household income of $62,995. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Indianapolis is manageable but tight.