Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, IL and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Decatur, IL: $1,725 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $38,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

84

Cost of Living Index in Decatur, IL
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Decatur, IL Living Index
239

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

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Decatur, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,725

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Decatur, IL 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 Decatur, IL and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,725 per month in Decatur, IL vs $4,950 in New York, NY, rent included.

Decatur, IL $1,725
New York, NY $4,950

A couple spends around $2,654 per month in Decatur, IL vs $7,265 in New York, NY, rent included.

Decatur, IL $2,654
New York, NY $7,265

A family of three spends $3,582 per month in Decatur, IL vs $9,581 in New York, NY, rent included.

Decatur, IL $3,582
New York, NY $9,581

Decatur, IL is about 65% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Decatur, IL and New York, NY sit above the global median – Decatur, IL by 28%, New York, NY by 267%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$24.65 $24.65

-19.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 $83.4

$122 $122

-31.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 $8.74

$13.91 $13.91

-37.17%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$6.59 $6.59

-17.91%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$3.84 $3.84

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.87 $2.87

-42.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 $5.02

$7.79 $7.79

-35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 $6.12

$9.85 $9.85

-37.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.38 $1.38

-2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$4.68 $4.68

-34.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$7.54 $7.54

-73.08%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.93 $5.93

-20.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 $13.87

$18.83 $18.83

-26.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.86 $14.86

$17.36 $17.36

-14.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$18.51 $18.51

-29.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$6.74 $6.74

-36.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.09 $2.09

-3.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$6.07 $6.07

-33.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$6.74 $6.74

-51.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$4.05 $4.05

-77.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$4.37 $4.37

-75.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.89 $2.89

-48.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.60 $2.60

18.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.87 $15.87

$18.72 $18.72

-15.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$20.06 $20.06

-26.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.25 $3.25

-32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.73 $3.73

-46.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.04 $3.04

4.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.15 $2.15

-33.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.28 $25.28

$41.82 $41.82

-39.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.12 $1.12

3.57%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$35.5K $35.5K

4.24%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.0K $26.0K

-2.04%

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

$85.6 $85.6

$219 $219

-60.90%

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

$67.2 $67.2

$73.2 $73.2

-8.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$72.0 $72.0

-16.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 $74.7

$123 $123

-39.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.7 $67.7

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 $11.82

$22.85 $22.85

-48.27%

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

$1,525 $1,525

$3,333 $3,333

-54.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K $32.0K

$60.0K $60.0K

-46.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$75.2 $75.2

-9.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 $51.5

$52.4 $52.4

-1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$122 $122

-16.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$133 $133

8.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 $867

$4,389 $4,389

-80.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 $551

$3,130 $3,130

-82.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$993 $993

$8,918 $8,918

-88.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$805 $805

$5,354 $5,354

-84.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$940 $940

$19.4K $19.4K

-95.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$941 $941

$6,806 $6,806

-86.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,599 $4,599

$5,343 $5,343

-13.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.82

-0.73%

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

Last update for Decatur, IL: October 11, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Decatur, IL

$551 31.9%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2% 468% $2.6K

Groceries & Markets

Decatur, IL

$385 22.3%

New York, NY

$545 11% 41.7% $160

Eating Out

Decatur, IL

$304 17.6%

New York, NY

$404 8.2% 32.9% $100

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Decatur, IL

$213 12.3%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 71% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Decatur, IL

$164 9.5%

New York, NY

$172 3.5% 4.8% $7.8

Sport & Entertainment

Decatur, IL

$98 5.7%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 71.2% $70

Getting Around

Decatur, IL

$10 * 0.6%

New York, NY

$167 3.4% 1520% $156

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Decatur, IL versus $4,389 in New York, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Decatur, IL versus $122 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $545 – making Decatur, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Decatur, IL

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

18:48 6:48 PM

19:48 7:48 PM

1 h ahead of Decatur, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

77,047

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Decatur, IL New York, NY 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Decatur, IL
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

Decatur, IL vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 187%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,588 per month in Decatur, IL and $7,424 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Decatur, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Decatur, IL and $122 in New York, NY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Decatur, IL, where all-in costs run around $1,725, than in New York, NY at $4,950. In Decatur, IL it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Decatur, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Decatur, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.