Moving to India from Illinois
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Illinois to India — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Illinois to India, you would find that India is 73.4% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly ₹1,952,313 in India to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Delhi averages 88°F vs 63°F in Springfield, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Illinois to India.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ₹1,952,313
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 81.7% less
Groceries
pay 70.7% less
Transportation
pay 48.9% less
Housing
pay 88.6% less
Childcare
pay 95.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 69.8% 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 by city
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 India cost about 70% less than cities in Illinois.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Illinois to India, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Illinois and India stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
India performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois performs better than India across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though India leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Illinois performs better than India across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Springfield | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Springfield | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
India Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in India than Illinois?
Generally yes: India runs about 73% cheaper than Illinois on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to India?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ₹488,078 in India for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from India?
Working remotely from India's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and India.
How is healthcare in India compared to Illinois?
India performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in India compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In Illinois, the official language is English.
