Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Barrington, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Barrington, IL: $2,677 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $27,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
Learn more

New York, NY Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Barrington, IL
Learn more

Barrington, IL Living Index

Jump to prices

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Barrington, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,677

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Barrington, IL

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

A single person spends $4,938 per month in New York, NY vs $2,677 in Barrington, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $4,938
Barrington, IL $2,677

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $4,008 in Barrington, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Barrington, IL $4,008

A family of three spends $9,608 per month in New York, NY vs $5,339 in Barrington, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $9,608
Barrington, IL $5,339

New York, NY costs about 84% more than Barrington, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Barrington, IL sit above the global median – New York, NY by 264%, Barrington, IL by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.99 $24.99

$20.21 $20.21

23.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$74.5 $74.5

61.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.74 $13.74

$11.36 $11.36

20.95%

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$5.24 $5.24

25.95%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$2.60 $2.60

46.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.05 $2.05

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$5.99 $5.99

32.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.06 $10.06

$7.14 $7.14

40.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.16 $1.16

18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.79 $3.79

25.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$4.33 $4.33

77.60%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$4.27 $4.27

37.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$15.24 $15.24

26.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.83 $17.83

$11.09 $11.09

60.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$17.23 $17.23

10.45%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$5.76 $5.76

16.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.98 $1.98

15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$4.59 $4.59

39.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$6.74 $6.74

0.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.75 $2.75

42.91%

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.17 $2.17

108.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.43 $2.43

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.28 $2.28

10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.10 $18.10

$10.15 $10.15

78.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$17.22 $17.22

17.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.87 $1.87

74.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.42 $3.42

9.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.97 $1.97

48.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 $143

$117 $117

22.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.43 $3.43

-10.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.57 $1.57

37.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$33.06 $33.06

25.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.17 $1.17

-4.27%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$27.8K $27.8K

19.29%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.5K $26.5K

-3.09%

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

$219 $219

$230 $230

-4.76%

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

$75.3 $75.3

$48.44 $48.44

55.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$59.0 $59.0

19.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 $116

$67.2 $67.2

71.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

$15.27 $15.27

342.83%

Cinema Ticket

$21.37 $21.37

$14.61 $14.61

46.27%

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

$3,432 $3,432

$1,481 $1,481

131.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.7K $61.7K

$27.6K $27.6K

123.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 $74.9

$52.5 $52.5

42.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.21 $41.21

26.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$89.8 $89.8

29.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$112 $112

19.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,347 $4,347

$1,604 $1,604

171.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 $3,117

$1,222 $1,222

154.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,110 $9,110

$2,526 $2,526

260.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,379 $5,379

$2,167 $2,167

148.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$2,376 $2,376

711.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

$2,187 $2,187

217.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,238 $5,238

$5,760 $5,760

-9.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.57

4.26%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Last update for Barrington, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1%

Barrington, IL

$1.2K 45.7% 60.8% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$552 11.2%

Barrington, IL

$430 16.1% 22.2% $122

Eating Out

New York, NY

$407 8.2%

Barrington, IL

$322 12% 21% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$365 7.4%

Barrington, IL

$338 12.6% 7.5% $27

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$170 3.5%

Barrington, IL

$133 5% 21.8% $37

Getting Around

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Barrington, IL

$136 5.1% 19.3% $32

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$158 3.2%

Barrington, IL

$96 3.6% 39.1% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,347 in New York, NY versus $1,604 in Barrington, IL. 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 10% higher in Barrington, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in New York, NY versus $75.0 in Barrington, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $552 vs $430 – making Barrington, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Barrington, IL

🕒 Local time

23:19 11:19 PM

22:19 10:19 PM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

10,772

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Barrington, IL 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Barrington, IL

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

New York, NY vs Barrington, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 84% more than Barrington, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,407 per month in New York, NY and $4,015 in Barrington, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 22% less in Barrington, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,432 per month in New York, NY and $1,481 in Barrington, IL. 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 $4,938 in New York, NY and $2,677 in Barrington, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barrington, IL costs $2,677 versus $4,938 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Barrington, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.