Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Independence, KS and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, KS: $1,974 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $35,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

96

Cost of Living Index in Independence, KS
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Independence, KS Living Index
239

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

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Independence, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,974

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,974 in Independence, KS versus $4,950 in New York, NY.

Independence, KS $1,974
New York, NY $4,950

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,922 in Independence, KS versus $7,265 in New York, NY.

Independence, KS $2,922
New York, NY $7,265

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,870 in Independence, KS versus $9,581 in New York, NY.

Independence, KS $3,870
New York, NY $9,581

Living in Independence, KS costs roughly 60% less than in New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Independence, KS 46% above, New York, NY 267% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.64 $19.64

$24.65 $24.65

-20.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 $74.6

$122 $122

-38.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 $11.23

$13.91 $13.91

-19.27%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$6.59 $6.59

-21.55%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$3.84 $3.84

-32.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.87 $2.87

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$7.79 $7.79

-23.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 $7.46

$9.85 $9.85

-24.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.38 $1.38

-26.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.51 $3.51

$4.68 $4.68

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$7.54 $7.54

-45.09%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$5.93 $5.93

-28.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$18.83 $18.83

-34.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.48 $10.48

$17.36 $17.36

-39.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.23 $17.23

$18.51 $18.51

-6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$6.74 $6.74

-23.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.09 $2.09

-24.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$6.07 $6.07

-20.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$6.74 $6.74

-25.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$4.05 $4.05

-40.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$4.37 $4.37

-36.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.89 $2.89

-25.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.60 $2.60

-2.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.32 $9.32

$18.72 $18.72

-50.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.76 $14.76

$20.06 $20.06

-26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.25 $3.25

-37.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.73 $3.73

-11.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.06 $3.06

-25.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.04 $3.04

9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.15 $2.15

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.62 $25.62

$41.82 $41.82

-38.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.12 $1.12

-11.61%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

0.05%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.0K $26.0K

-0.62%

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

$203 $203

$219 $219

-7.21%

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

$57.2 $57.2

$73.2 $73.2

-21.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$72.0 $72.0

-1.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 $41.43

$123 $123

-66.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.7 $67.7

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 $13.73

$22.85 $22.85

-39.91%

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

$1,424 $1,424

$3,333 $3,333

-57.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K $22.3K

$60.0K $60.0K

-62.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$75.2 $75.2

-29.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.65 $46.65

$52.4 $52.4

-10.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 $89.0

$122 $122

-26.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$133 $133

-12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$4,389 $4,389

-63.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 $702

$3,130 $3,130

-77.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,472 $2,472

$8,918 $8,918

-72.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 $1,071

$5,354 $5,354

-80.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,763 $2,763

$19.4K $19.4K

-85.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,454 $2,454

$6,806 $6,806

-63.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,296 $5,296

$5,343 $5,343

-0.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.82

-3.67%

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

Last update for Independence, KS: October 13, 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

Independence, KS

$702 35.6%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2% 346% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

Independence, KS

$397 20.1%

New York, NY

$545 11% 37.2% $148

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Independence, KS

$332 16.8%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 9.8% $33

Eating Out

Independence, KS

$316 16%

New York, NY

$404 8.2% 27.7% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Independence, KS

$137 7%

New York, NY

$172 3.5% 25.5% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Independence, KS

$69 3.5%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 144% $99

Getting Around

Independence, KS

$21 * 1.1%

New York, NY

$167 3.4% 691% $145

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Independence, KS and $4,389 in New York, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 1% 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: $75.0 in Independence, KS vs $122 in New York, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $545 per month, with Independence, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Independence, KS

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

10:22 10:22 AM

11:22 11:22 AM

1 h ahead of Independence, KS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,213

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

Independence, KS New York, NY 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Independence, KS
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

Independence, KS vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Independence, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 151% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Independence, KS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1% 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: $1,621 in Independence, KS versus $4,389 in New York, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,424 in Independence, KS versus $3,333 in New York, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Independence, KS – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $122 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Independence, KS is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Independence, KS delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,974 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Independence, KS hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Independence, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.