Cost of Living Comparison Between Munster and Ithaca, NY Cost of Living Comparison Between Munster and Ithaca, NY

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,343 per month in Munster vs $2,218 in Ithaca, NY, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,402 per month in Munster vs $3,397 in Ithaca, NY, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,460 per month in Munster vs $4,576 in Ithaca, NY, rent included.

Munster costs about 6% more than Ithaca, NY, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Munster and Ithaca, NY sit above the global median – Munster by 75%, Ithaca, NY by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.05 €12.10

$20.08 $20.08

-30.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 €64.6

$68.7 $68.7

9.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 €10.06

$10.97 $10.97

6.47%

Cappuccino

$4.08 €3.51

$5.01 $5.01

-18.56%

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

$4.19 €3.60

$2.84 $2.84

47.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.31

$1.88 $1.88

42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 €4.97

$5.01 $5.01

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €3.91

$6.03 $6.03

-24.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.99 $0.99

30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.89

$3.91 $3.91

-43.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.92 €3.37

$5.60 $5.60

-30.00%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.48

$4.10 $4.10

-1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.63 €12.60

$13.84 $13.84

5.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 €12.86

$6.62 $6.62

125.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.55 €21.14

$15.01 $15.01

63.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 €2.88

$4.57 $4.57

-26.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.59 $1.59

13.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 €1.90

$4.58 $4.58

-51.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 €4.56

$5.01 $5.01

5.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$7.04 $7.04

-76.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 €1.36

$3.54 $3.54

-55.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.57

$2.89 $2.89

-37.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 €0.86

$1.77 $1.77

-43.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 €8.76

$8.86 $8.86

14.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 €5.37

$13.79 $13.79

-54.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.96

$1.85 $1.85

-39.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.47

$4.06 $4.06

-57.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.21 €2.76

$1.49 $1.49

115.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 €48.12

$45.56 $45.56

22.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 €4.11

$4.88 $4.88

-2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 €2.19

$1.36 $1.36

86.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.95 €30.10

$26.98 $26.98

29.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.90 $0.90

116.67%

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

$31.9K €27.5K

$29.8K $29.8K

7.13%

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

$35.9K €30.9K

$26.1K $26.1K

37.65%

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

$415 €357

$137 $137

203.30%

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

$25.79 €22.21

$47.48 $47.48

-45.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 €44.66

$65.8 $65.8

-21.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.87 €36.06

$42.94 $42.94

-2.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 €15.68

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 €12.51

$10.94 $10.94

32.72%

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

$729 €627

$1,559 $1,559

-53.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K €12.3K

$28.3K $28.3K

-49.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €97.2

$43.80 $43.80

157.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.46 €40.01

$39.88 $39.88

16.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$78.9 $78.9

49.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$103 $103

35.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 €1,029

$1,647 $1,647

-27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$878 €756

$1,059 $1,059

-17.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 €2,040

$2,614 $2,614

-9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 €1,236

$1,860 $1,860

-22.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,600 €7,406

$2,182 $2,182

294.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,563 €3,929

$2,137 $2,137

113.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 €2,957

$3,366 $3,366

2.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

6.28

-36.62%

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

Last update for Munster: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ithaca, NY: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,195 in Munster versus $1,647 in Ithaca, 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 2% higher in Munster, 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 $75.0 in Munster versus $69.0 in Ithaca, NY. Groceries tell a different story – $371 in Munster vs $389 in Ithaca, NY – so Munster wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Munster vs Ithaca, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,343 in Munster, $2,218 in Ithaca, NY – roughly 6% apart. Munster costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,515 per month in Munster and $3,327 in Ithaca, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ithaca, NY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75.0 in Munster and $69.0 in Ithaca, NY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,343 in Munster and $2,218 in Ithaca, NY. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Ithaca, NY, where all-in costs run around $2,218, than in Munster at $2,343. In Ithaca, NY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Munster it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ithaca, NY – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ithaca, NY. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Munster makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.