Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln, NE and California, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Lincoln, NE: $2,208 a month against $2,590 in California, MD, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Lincoln, NE
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Lincoln, NE Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in California, MD
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California, MD Living Index

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Lincoln, NE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,208

/mo nomad

California, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,590

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lincoln, NE and in California, MD

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

A single person spends $2,208 per month in Lincoln, NE vs $2,590 in California, MD, rent included.

Lincoln, NE $2,208
California, MD $2,590

A couple spends around $3,239 per month in Lincoln, NE vs $3,729 in California, MD, rent included.

Lincoln, NE $3,239
California, MD $3,729

A family of three spends $4,270 per month in Lincoln, NE vs $4,867 in California, MD, rent included.

Lincoln, NE $4,270
California, MD $4,867

Lincoln, NE is about 15% cheaper than California, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Lincoln, NE and California, MD sit above the global median – Lincoln, NE by 62%, California, MD by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$25.39 $25.39

-20.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$76.0 $76.0

4.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$10.01 $10.01

21.58%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$6.05 $6.05

-6.45%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.81 $2.81

-17.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.44 $2.44

-28.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.03 $5.03

1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.17 $9.17

$8.01 $8.01

14.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.00 $1.00

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.93 $3.93

-18.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$2.17 $2.17

191.24%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$3.90 $3.90

14.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 $11.42

$11.56 $11.56

-1.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$14.46 $14.46

-41.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$13.17 $13.17

12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$4.29 $4.29

63.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.16 $2.16

-2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$4.48 $4.48

31.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$6.48 $6.48

-32.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$4.50 $4.50

-25.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$4.08 $4.08

-9.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.04 $2.04

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.97 $1.97

35.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 $9.19

$8.79 $8.79

4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.30 $17.30

$13.83 $13.83

25.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.69 $1.69

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$4.77 $4.77

-46.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.14 $2.14

-42.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.91 $16.91

$82.5 $82.5

-79.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.95 $2.95

71.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.49 $1.49

27.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.14 $35.14

$22.83 $22.83

53.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.86 $0.86

15.12%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$32.7K $32.7K

-15.82%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.5K $23.5K

8.61%

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

$144 $144

$98.1 $98.1

46.72%

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

$47.84 $47.84

$41.45 $41.45

15.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$61.9 $61.9

5.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 $41.55

$39.56 $39.56

5.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.15 $26.15

$11.02 $11.02

137.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.08 $15.08

$17.68 $17.68

-14.71%

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

$834 $834

$1,937 $1,937

-56.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K $32.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.84 $48.84

$52.7 $52.7

-7.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 $35.07

$47.01 $47.01

-25.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 $87.5

-0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$107 $107

8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 $956

$1,721 $1,721

-44.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$982 $982

$1,308 $1,308

-24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$1,818 $1,818

19.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 $1,451

$1,891 $1,891

-23.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,484 $2,484

$6,900 $6,900

-64.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,767 $1,767

$6,215 $6,215

-71.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,834 $3,834

$6,967 $6,967

-44.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.4

-0.47%

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

Last update for Lincoln, NE: October 25, 2026

Last update for California, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lincoln, NE

$982 44.5%

California, MD

$1.3K 50.5% 33.2% $326

Groceries & Markets

Lincoln, NE

$404 18.3%

California, MD

$404 15.6% 0.1% $0.4

Eating Out

Lincoln, NE

$327 14.8%

California, MD

$368 14.2% 12.6% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lincoln, NE

$257 11.6%

California, MD

$201 7.8% 21.6% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Lincoln, NE

$130 5.9%

California, MD

$133 5.1% 2.3% $2.9

Sport & Entertainment

Lincoln, NE

$72 3.3%

California, MD

$75 2.9% 4.4% $3.2

Getting Around

Lincoln, NE

$36 1.7%

California, MD

$101 3.9% 179% $65

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Lincoln, NE versus $1,721 in California, MD. 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 82% higher in California, MD. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Lincoln, NE versus $76 in California, MD. Groceries tell a different story – $404 in Lincoln, NE vs $404 in California, MD – so Lincoln, NE wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lincoln, NE

🇺🇸 California, MD

🕒 Local time

04:58 4:58 AM

05:58 5:58 AM

1 h ahead of Lincoln, NE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

277,348

13,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lincoln, NE California, MD 1,750 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lincoln, NE
California, MD

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

Lincoln, NE vs California, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – California, MD is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,312 per month in Lincoln, NE and $3,886 in California, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lincoln, NE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $956 there versus $1,721 in California, MD.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,208 in Lincoln, NE and $2,590 in California, MD. That makes Lincoln, NE about 15% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $834 per month in Lincoln, NE and $1,937 in California, MD. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,208 in Lincoln, NE and $2,590 in California, MD. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Lincoln, NE – 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 Lincoln, NE. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, California, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.