Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Beacon, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Lexington, KY: $2,202 a month against $3,437 in Beacon, NY, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lexington, KY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,202
/mo nomad
Beacon, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$3,437
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lexington, KY and in Beacon, NY

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

A single person spends $2,202 per month in Lexington, KY vs $3,437 in Beacon, NY, rent included.

  • Lexington, KY $2,202
  • Beacon, NY $3,437

A couple spends around $3,233 per month in Lexington, KY vs $4,829 in Beacon, NY, rent included.

  • Lexington, KY $3,233
  • Beacon, NY $4,829

A family of three spends $4,265 per month in Lexington, KY vs $6,220 in Beacon, NY, rent included.

  • Lexington, KY $4,265
  • Beacon, NY $6,220

Lexington, KY is about 36% cheaper than Beacon, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Lexington, KY and Beacon, NY sit above the global median – Lexington, KY by 62%, Beacon, NY by 154%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lexington, KY
Beacon, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.25 $13.25
$19.49 $19.49
-32.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.4 $56.4
$80.0 $80.0
-29.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.04 $9.04
$10.98 $10.98
-17.67%
Cappuccino
$4.92 $4.92
$5.27 $5.27
-6.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 $2.49
$2.14 $2.14
16.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 $2.07
$1.60 $1.60
29.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.93 $4.93
$6.05 $6.05
-18.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90 $5.90
$4.93 $4.93
19.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lexington, KY
Beacon, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.74 $0.74
$1.29 $1.29
-42.64%
White Bread (500g)
$2.90 $2.90
$3.55 $3.55
-18.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.87 $3.87
$4.57 $4.57
-15.32%
Eggs
$3.50 $3.50
$5.67 $5.67
-38.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.50 $10.50
$12.41 $12.41
-15.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.38 $10.38
$11.88 $11.88
-12.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.21 $14.21
$17.35 $17.35
-18.10%
Apples (1kg)
$5.40 $5.40
$4.66 $4.66
15.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.71 $1.71
-9.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.49 $5.49
$4.51 $4.51
21.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.47 $4.47
$5.10 $5.10
-12.35%
Potato (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$4.17 $4.17
3.60%
Onion (1kg)
$3.15 $3.15
$3.51 $3.51
-10.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.09 $2.09
$2.93 $2.93
-28.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.13 $2.13
42.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.96 $8.96
$11.85 $11.85
-24.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.94 $12.94
$15.07 $15.07
-14.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$1.70 $1.70
55.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 $4.22
$3.08 $3.08
37.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Lexington, KY
Beacon, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.01 $1.01
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.53 $29.53
$195 $195
-84.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.95 $4.95
$3.06 $3.06
61.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.01 $2.01
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$24.41 $24.41
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.01 $1.01
-0.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K $27.6K
$27.5K $27.5K
0.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$26.2K $26.2K
-1.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lexington, KY
Beacon, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 $189
$212 $212
-10.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$107 $107
$73.3 $73.3
46.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.1 $74.1
$65.4 $65.4
13.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lexington, KY
Beacon, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.76 $38.76
$90.1 $90.1
-57.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.57 $30.57
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.29 $15.29
$11.97 $11.97
27.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lexington, KY
Beacon, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,238 $2,238
$1,218 $1,218
83.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.8K $24.8K
$24.1K $24.1K
2.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lexington, KY
Beacon, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.1 $52.1
$38.77 $38.77
34.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.78 $30.78
$57.3 $57.3
-46.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 $118
$77.2 $77.2
53.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$155 $155
$153 $153
1.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lexington, KY
Beacon, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,161 $1,161
$2,232 $2,232
-48.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$932 $932
$1,894 $1,894
-50.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,054 $2,054
$3,459 $3,459
-40.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,536 $1,536
$2,843 $2,843
-45.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,065 $2,065
$4,332 $4,332
-52.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,058 $2,058
$3,002 $3,002
-31.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lexington, KY
Beacon, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,034 $4,034
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
6.75
1.04%

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

Last update for Lexington, KY: October 19, 2026

Last update for Beacon, NY: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lexington, KY
$932
Beacon, NY
$1.9K 103% $962
Groceries & Markets
Lexington, KY
$384
Beacon, NY
$417 8.4% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lexington, KY
$370
Beacon, NY
$351 5.3% $20
Eating Out
Lexington, KY
$247
Beacon, NY
$307 24.4% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Lexington, KY
$160
Beacon, NY
$147 8.4% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Lexington, KY
$69
Beacon, NY
$114 64.5% $45
Getting Around
Lexington, KY
$39 *
Beacon, NY
$208 * 439% $169

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,161 in Lexington, KY versus $2,232 in Beacon, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Lexington, KY versus $80.0 in Beacon, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $417 – making Lexington, KY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Lexington, KY
🇺🇸 Beacon, NY
🕒 Local time
03:50 3:50 AM
03:50 3:50 AM
Same time as Lexington, KY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
322,570
13,769
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lexington, KY Beacon, NY 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lexington, KY
  • Beacon, 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
Lexington, KY vs Beacon, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lexington, KY or Beacon, NY?
Beacon, NY costs about 56% more than Lexington, KY, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lexington, KY and in Beacon, NY?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,303 per month in Lexington, KY and $5,156 in Beacon, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lexington, KY or Beacon, NY?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lexington, KY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Lexington, KY and in Beacon, NY?
Kindergarten costs $2,238 per month in Lexington, KY and $1,218 in Beacon, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Lexington, KY or in Beacon, NY?
Groceries cost about 8% more in Beacon, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lexington, KY or in Beacon, NY?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lexington, KY, where all-in costs run around $2,202, than in Beacon, NY at $3,437. In Lexington, KY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Beacon, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Lexington, KY – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Lexington, KY compared to Beacon, NY?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Lexington, KY or to Beacon, NY?
If budget matters most, go with Lexington, KY. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Beacon, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Lexington, KY vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?