Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, IA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Burlington, IA: $1,769 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $38,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

86

Cost of Living Index in Burlington, IA
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Burlington, IA Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Burlington, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,769

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Burlington, IA and in New York, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Burlington, IA and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,769 in Burlington, IA versus $4,938 in New York, NY.

Burlington, IA $1,769
New York, NY $4,938

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,675 in Burlington, IA versus $7,273 in New York, NY.

Burlington, IA $2,675
New York, NY $7,273

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Burlington, IA versus $9,608 in New York, NY.

Burlington, IA $3,580
New York, NY $9,608

Living in Burlington, IA costs roughly 64% less than in New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burlington, IA 31% above, New York, NY 264% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.35 $11.35

$24.99 $24.99

-54.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 $59.1

$120 $120

-50.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 $8.84

$13.74 $13.74

-35.66%

Cappuccino

$4.74 $4.74

$6.60 $6.60

-28.18%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.82 $3.82

-48.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.87 $2.87

-29.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 $3.41

$7.95 $7.95

-57.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$10.06 $10.06

-54.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.37 $1.37

-40.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 $2.82

$4.75 $4.75

-40.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$7.69 $7.69

-43.56%

Eggs

$2.92 $2.92

$5.87 $5.87

-50.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$19.25 $19.25

-40.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$17.83 $17.83

-33.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 $14.20

$19.03 $19.03

-25.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$6.69 $6.69

-39.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.29 $2.29

-13.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$6.41 $6.41

-28.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$6.75 $6.75

-31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.93 $3.93

-30.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.52 $4.52

-42.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.79 $2.79

-44.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.51 $2.51

-17.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.16 $8.16

$18.10 $18.10

-54.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.29 $16.29

$20.16 $20.16

-19.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$3.26 $3.26

-42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.75 $3.75

-39.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.92 $2.92

-33.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.76 $15.76

$143 $143

-88.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 $4.67

$3.06 $3.06

52.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.16 $2.16

-52.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.19 $22.19

$41.33 $41.33

-46.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.12 $1.12

-16.07%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.7K $22.7K

$33.1K $33.1K

-31.38%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.0K $25.0K

$25.7K $25.7K

-2.86%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$184 $184

$219 $219

-16.05%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$47.16 $47.16

$75.3 $75.3

-37.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 $59.2

$70.5 $70.5

-16.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 $42.42

$116 $116

-63.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

Cinema Ticket

$11.92 $11.92

$21.37 $21.37

-44.22%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

$3,432 $3,432

-64.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K $13.3K

$61.7K $61.7K

-78.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.72 $44.72

$74.9 $74.9

-40.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.53 $30.53

$52.1 $52.1

-41.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$117 $117

-25.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.90 $37.90

$135 $135

-71.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 $754

$4,347 $4,347

-82.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 $707

$3,117 $3,117

-77.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 $1,172

$9,110 $9,110

-87.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$5,379 $5,379

-76.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,026 $1,026

$19.3K $19.3K

-94.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,033 $1,033

$6,943 $6,943

-85.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,446 $4,446

$5,238 $5,238

-15.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.85

-4.53%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Burlington, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Burlington, IA

$707 40%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1% 341% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

Burlington, IA

$366 20.7%

New York, NY

$552 11.2% 50.9% $186

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Burlington, IA

$290 16.4%

New York, NY

$365 7.4% 25.7% $75

Eating Out

Burlington, IA

$216 12.2%

New York, NY

$407 8.2% 88% $191

Clothing & Footwear

Burlington, IA

$90 5.1%

New York, NY

$170 3.5% 89% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Burlington, IA

$66 3.7%

New York, NY

$158 3.2% 139% $92

Getting Around

Burlington, IA

$33 1.9%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 405% $135

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $754 in Burlington, IA and $4,347 in New York, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in Burlington, IA vs $120 in New York, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $552 per month, with Burlington, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Burlington, IA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

19:08 7:08 PM

20:08 8:08 PM

1 h ahead of Burlington, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,743

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Burlington, IA New York, NY 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Burlington, IA
New York, NY

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Burlington, IA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burlington, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 179% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Burlington, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in New York, NY. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $754 in Burlington, IA versus $4,347 in New York, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,210 in Burlington, IA versus $3,432 in New York, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,769 in Burlington, IA versus $4,938 in New York, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Burlington, IA but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Burlington, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Burlington, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,769 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Burlington, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Burlington, IA and New York, NY are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Burlington, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 179% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.