Moving to Indiana from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Indiana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Indiana, you would find that Indiana is 23.2% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly $55,226 in Indiana to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Indianapolis averages 62°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly cooler. What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to Indiana. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $55,226 To maintain the same standard of living in Indiana Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 19.9% less Groceries pay 23.0% less Transportation pay 21.0% less Housing pay 29.2% less Childcare pay 29.4% less Entertainment and Sports pay 28.9% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%). On average, cities in Indiana cost about 34% less than cities in California. Compare cities head-to-head Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Indiana. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Indiana performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke California performs better than Indiana across all health & wellbeing metrics. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied Indiana performs significantly better than California across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work California generally does better on infrastructure, though Indiana leads in average commute. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person typical annual income of a household share of people below the poverty line California generally does better on employment & economy, though Indiana leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree California performs better than Indiana across all family life metrics. Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Yes — Indiana is on average about 26% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $13,806 in Indiana on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit). Indiana performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics. California performs better than Indiana across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Indianapolis is 62°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Indianapolis receives around 40.8 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Sacramento Indianapolis Jan–Mar 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) 42°/26°F (6°/-3°C) Apr–Jun 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) Jul–Sep 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) Oct–Dec 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) 51°/35°F (11°/2°C) View all months
Month Sacramento Indianapolis Jan 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) 35°/21°F (1.7°/-6.1°C) Feb 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) 40°/24°F (4.4°/-4.4°C) Mar 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.8°C) Apr 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.4°C) May 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) 72°/53°F (22.5°/11.7°C) Jun 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) Jul 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) 84°/67°F (28.8°/19.2°C) Aug 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.3°C) Sep 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.9°C) Oct 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) 64°/45°F (18.0°/7.3°C) Nov 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) 52°/36°F (11.0°/2.3°C) Dec 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) 38°/25°F (3.6°/-3.9°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Indiana than California?
How much money do I need to move to Indiana?
Is Indiana safe?
How is healthcare in Indiana compared to California?
What's the weather like in Indiana compared to California?
