Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in La Crosse, WI: $2,217 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $32,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

106

Cost of Living Index in La Crosse, WI
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La Crosse, WI Living Index
239

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

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La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,217

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,217 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $2,217
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $3,376
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $4,535 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

La Crosse, WI $4,535
New York, NY $9,509

La Crosse, WI is about 55% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both La Crosse, WI and New York, NY sit above the global median – La Crosse, WI by 63%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 $15.24

$28.55 $28.55

-46.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 $69.5

$118 $118

-41.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$15.04 $15.04

-27.99%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$6.53 $6.53

-11.64%

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

$2.10 $2.10

$3.96 $3.96

-46.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 $1.18

$3.01 $3.01

-60.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 $4.42

$8.16 $8.16

-45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 $5.99

$9.84 $9.84

-39.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.37 $1.37

-46.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 $2.45

$4.97 $4.97

-50.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$7.81 $7.81

-41.36%

Eggs

$2.48 $2.48

$5.97 $5.97

-58.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 $10.19

$18.91 $18.91

-46.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$18.04 $18.04

-38.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.42 $16.42

$19.05 $19.05

-13.81%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$6.76 $6.76

-27.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.27 $2.27

-51.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$6.83 $6.83

-53.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$7.09 $7.09

-26.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$4.22 $4.22

-53.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$4.65 $4.65

-49.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.87 $2.87

-29.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.60 $2.60

-33.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.93 $9.93

$18.77 $18.77

-47.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 $10.81

$20.13 $20.13

-46.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.45 $3.45

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$4.02 $4.02

-49.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.91 $2.91

-65.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.33 $35.33

$139 $139

-74.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.08 $3.08

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.12 $2.12

-14.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.84 $45.84

$41.96 $41.96

9.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.17 $1.17

-22.22%

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

$33.0K $33.0K

$34.5K $34.5K

-4.35%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

-5.45%

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

$208 $208

$219 $219

-5.23%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$74.2 $74.2

-26.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$70.2 $70.2

-6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.79 $40.79

$112 $112

-63.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.89 $3.89

$74.9 $74.9

-94.80%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$22.14 $22.14

-45.98%

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

$888 $888

$3,558 $3,558

-75.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 $63.3

$75.6 $75.6

-16.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.6 $63.6

$51.2 $51.2

24.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 $77.5

$123 $123

-37.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$140 $140

-15.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 $774

$4,499 $4,499

-82.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$3,078 $3,078

-66.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$9,447 $9,447

-76.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 $1,917

$5,190 $5,190

-63.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,972 $1,972

$18.1K $18.1K

-89.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 $1,965

$6,693 $6,693

-70.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,185 $4,185

$5,220 $5,220

-19.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.86

-3.35%

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

Last update for La Crosse, WI: October 27, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

La Crosse, WI

$1K 45.9%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 203% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

La Crosse, WI

$340 15.3%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 65.7% $223

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Crosse, WI

$328 14.8%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 10.9% $36

Eating Out

La Crosse, WI

$271 12.2%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 62.5% $169

Clothing & Footwear

La Crosse, WI

$145 6.5%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 21% $30

Sport & Entertainment

La Crosse, WI

$65 2.9%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 141% $92

Getting Around

La Crosse, WI

$52 2.3%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 217% $112

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $774 in La Crosse, WI versus $4,499 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 25% 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 $69 in La Crosse, WI versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $563 – making La Crosse, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 La Crosse, WI

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

14:48 2:48 PM

1 h ahead of La Crosse, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,680

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

La Crosse, WI New York, NY 1,450 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

La Crosse, WI
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

La Crosse, WI vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,217 in La Crosse, WI, $4,941 in New York, NY – La Crosse, WI comes out roughly 55% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,326 per month in La Crosse, WI and $7,412 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 La Crosse, WI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $774 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Groceries cost about 66% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in La Crosse, WI and $118 in New York, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in La Crosse, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,217, than in New York, NY at $4,941. In La Crosse, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Crosse, WI – 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 La Crosse, WI. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.