Share a flat
Shared rooms are the cheapest option; a studio costs much more than $650.
🇺🇸 Illinois, USA
Cost of Living in Southern Illinois college towns
Low-cost Illinois college towns with Indian communities. Here's a realistic monthly budget for an Indian student in Southern Illinois college towns — rent, food, transport and insurance — in USD and rupees.
- Rent $400 – $650/month
- Total $1,318 – $1,568/month
- ≈ ₹1.2 lakh – ₹1.5 lakh/month
- 2 universities
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Quick answer
How much does it cost to live in Southern Illinois college towns as a student?
Budget $1,318 – $1,568 a month (about ₹1.2 lakh – ₹1.5 lakh), or $15,800 – $18,800 a year. Rent for a room in shared housing is the biggest cost at $400 – $650. Southern Illinois college towns is the cheapest of the 122 cities we track in the USA.
Ask on WhatsAppUpdated · Reviewed by the Visa Edu Loans admissions & finance desk
Official sources: travel.state.gov — Student visa
Southern Illinois college towns budget at a glance
- Room in shared housing
- $400 – $650 a month
- Monthly budget
- $1,318 – $1,568
- Yearly budget
- $15,800 – $18,800
- In rupees (a year)
- ₹15 lakh – ₹18 lakh
- Health cover
- University student health plans usually cost $2,000–4,000 a year and are often compulsory
- Getting around
- Many universities include a bus pass; big cities have monthly transit passes
- Exchange rate used
- $1 ≈ ₹94
Monthly budget
Student budget in Southern Illinois college towns
Planning estimates for 2026 — rents move quickly, so check live listings before you sign.
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Southern Illinois college towns vs other student cities in the USA
Universities
Universities in Southern Illinois college towns
Save money
Cutting costs in Southern Illinois college towns
Cook at home
Groceries for about $400 a month — Indian grocery stores are common in big cities.
Use student transport
Many universities include a bus pass; big cities have monthly transit passes
Work part-time
Up to 20 hours a week on campus during semesters; off-campus work only through CPT/OPT
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Still have a question?
Ask a counsellor directly — we reply on WhatsApp during working hours (Mon–Sat, 9 AM–6 PM IST).
About $1,318 – $1,568 (₹1.2 lakh – ₹1.5 lakh), including rent.
A room in shared housing usually costs $400 – $650 a month.
Part-time work (up to 20 hours a week on campus during semesters; off-campus work only through CPT/OPT) helps, but it rarely covers everything — plan savings or a loan for living costs.
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Universities
Universities in Southern Illinois college towns
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Cost of living in other USA cities
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