Carmel, IN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Carmel, IN Summary

Cost of living in Carmel research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Carmel is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Indiana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Carmel is 119, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Carmel is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Carmel ranks as the #126 cheapest in Indiana out of 128.

  • Carmel ranks as the #4,349 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Carmel is $540,685.

  • The median income in Carmel is $134,602.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
119
Carmel's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Carmel, IN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Carmel has an overall cost of living index of 119, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Indiana, Carmel has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Indiana's index of 92.

The standard of living in Carmel ranks as #126 most affordable out of the 128 places we measured in Indiana. By definition, that implies Carmel ranks as the #2 most expensive place in the Hoosier State.

For more reading on life in Carmel, check out:

126 out of 128
In Indiana
4,349 out of 6,489
In America

Carmel Cost Of Living Vs. Indiana

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Carmel. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Carmel is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Carmel is 98.

  • The Health index in Carmel is 90.

  • The Housing index in Carmel is 175.

  • The Transportation index in Carmel is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Carmel is 105.

Living Expense Carmel Indiana National Average
Overall 119 92 100
Services 96 95 100
Groceries 98 97 100
Health 90 94 100
Housing 175 73 100
Transportation 97 94 100
Utilities 105 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around Indiana, check out:
Carmel Cost of Living Vs. IN

Carmel, IN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Indiana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Carmel is $540,685.

  • The Median Rent in Carmel is $1,607.

  • The Median Income in Carmel is $134,602.

  • The Home Value To Income in Carmel is 4.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Carmel is 0.14x.

Statistic Carmel Indiana United States
Median Home Value $540,685 $251,301 $303,400
Median Rent $1,607 $1,020 $1,348
Median Income $134,602 $70,051 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.0x 3.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.14x 0.17x 0.21x
$540,685
Median Home Value
$1,607
Median Rent
$134,602
Median Income

Carmel, IN Costs By Category

Detailed Carmel Services Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Carmel Indiana
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $10.91 $12.13
Bowling $18.7 $18
Haircut $19.53 $24.26
Beauty Salon $39.03 $45.56

Detailed Carmel Groceries Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Carmel Indiana
Ground Beef $5.91 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.61 $1.57
Milk $4.73 $4.67
Potatoes $5.07 $4.93
Pizza $12.39 $12.09
Beer $10.3 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Carmel Health Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Carmel Indiana
Optometrist $73.37 $125.68
Doctor $99.19 $135.78
Dentist $109.26 $113.29

Detailed Carmel Transportation Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Carmel Indiana
Gasoline $3.39 $3.46
Tire Balancing $54.63 $59.92

Detailed Carmel Utilities Costs Vs. Indiana

Item Carmel Indiana
All Electricity $207.03 $193.99
Phone $190.02 $192.25

Carmel SnackAbility

10
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
8.5
Diversity
8
Safety
9
Amenities
9
Education
10
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Carmel

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Carmel. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Indianapolis, IN has a cost of living index of 94, 0.8x Carmel.

  • Noblesville, IN has a cost of living index of 104, 0.9x Carmel.

  • Westfield, IN has a cost of living index of 114, 1.0x Carmel.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Carmel
Indianapolis, IN 882,043 94 0.8x
Noblesville, IN 71,940 104 0.9x
Westfield, IN 51,109 114 1.0x
Lawrence, IN 49,284 96 0.8x
Zionsville, IN 31,442 127 1.1x
Brownsburg, IN 30,310 101 0.8x
Avon, IN 22,683 102 0.9x
Beech Grove, IN 15,082 87 0.7x
Cumberland, IN 6,154 96 0.8x

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