Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln, NE and Livingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln, NE and Livingston

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,131 in Lincoln, NE versus $2,030 in Livingston.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,188 in Lincoln, NE versus $3,148 in Livingston.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,244 in Lincoln, NE versus $4,265 in Livingston.

Living in Lincoln, NE is roughly 5% more expensive than in Livingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lincoln, NE 55% above, Livingston 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.77 $19.77

$20.08 £14.84

-1.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$103 £75.9

-21.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$10.91 £8.07

8.98%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$5.14 £3.80

6.03%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$2.63 £1.95

-13.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.37 £1.75

-27.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.59 £4.87

-24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.54 $7.54

$6.74 £4.98

11.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.47 £1.09

-44.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.93 £1.43

62.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$2.22 £1.64

171.17%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$3.73 £2.76

21.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 $11.46

$9.39 £6.94

22.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.16 $9.16

$9.31 £6.89

-1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.99 $14.99

$14.90 £11.01

0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$3.05 £2.26

119.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.72 £1.27

34.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.95 £2.18

102.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.63 £2.68

20.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.67 £1.24

88.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.44 £1.07

163.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.18 £0.87

61.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.59 £1.17

61.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$22.85 £16.89

-56.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.07 $17.07

$10.89 £8.05

56.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$3.05 £2.25

-41.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.18 £2.35

-23.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.69 $34.69

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 $4.92

$5.50 £4.06

-10.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.63 £1.20

12.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.91 $34.91

$27.98 £20.68

24.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.09 £1.54

-54.07%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$39.0K £28.8K

-8.59%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$41.3K £30.6K

-38.14%

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

$124 $124

$336 £248

-62.96%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$16.66 £12.32

202.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 $64.4

$41.19 £30.45

56.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 $57.1

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 $26.75

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$11.03 £8.15

35.54%

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

$836 $836

$1,250 £924

-33.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K £13.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 $52.2

$93.1 £68.8

-43.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 $35.22

$49.64 £36.69

-29.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 $91.6

$109 £80.7

-16.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$99.1 £73.3

31.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 $1,064

$880 £651

20.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 $909

$777 £574

16.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,885 $1,885

$1,930 £1,426

-2.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 $1,448

$1,556 £1,150

-6.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,871 $1,871

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,892 $1,892

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,777 $3,777

$4,139 £3,060

-8.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

5.15

17.09%

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

Last update for Lincoln, NE: August 31, 2026

Last update for Livingston: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,064 in Lincoln, NE and $880 in Livingston. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Livingston pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Lincoln, NE vs $103 in Livingston. Groceries flip the comparison at $403 vs $308, with Livingston cheaper for home cooking.

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 Livingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Livingston wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Lincoln, NE. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Livingston the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Livingston. 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: $1,064 in Lincoln, NE versus $880 in Livingston. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $836 in Lincoln, NE versus $1,250 in Livingston. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Livingston – a meal for two runs $103 versus $81.0 in Lincoln, NE. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,030 in Livingston versus $2,131 in Lincoln, NE, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Livingston but tight or insufficient in Lincoln, NE. The gap between the two cities makes Livingston the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lincoln, NE and Livingston are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Livingston gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Lincoln, NE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.