with $100k coming in, swapping out of Chicago
changea dispatch from
south bend
IN
41.68°N
86.25°W
South Bend is Notre Dame, the Golden Dome, and the Touchdown Jesus mural visible from the football stadium. The St. Joseph River runs through downtown, and the East Bank district has the food and bar scene. The University of Notre Dame campus is genuinely beautiful (the basilica, the lakes, the grottos). Smaller than its national reputation suggests, with a steady college-town pulse.
the verdict
cheaper each month than Chicago
South Bend sits well below Chicago on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
a quick ledger.
$1,391/mo
36% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
3%
$163/mo less in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$6,692/mo
$941 more than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$230k
37% cheaper than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
324k
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
157
pleasant days a year, in south bend.
Chicago only logs 153 pleasant days.
99% fewer events than Chicago. The pace eases up.
53/100
24% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: Indiana Dunes National Park, 62.8 mi.
82/100
18% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
9
96% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
same energy as south bend, different zip code:
