Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Berwyn, IL: $2,449 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $29,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,938
/mo nomad
Berwyn, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,449
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Berwyn, 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 Berwyn, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,938 in New York, NY versus $2,449 in Berwyn, IL.

  • New York, NY $4,938
  • Berwyn, IL $2,449

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,273 in New York, NY versus $3,655 in Berwyn, IL.

  • New York, NY $7,273
  • Berwyn, IL $3,655

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,608 in New York, NY versus $4,860 in Berwyn, IL.

  • New York, NY $9,608
  • Berwyn, IL $4,860

Living in New York, NY is roughly 102% more expensive than in Berwyn, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 264% above, Berwyn, IL 81% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
Berwyn, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.99 $24.99
$19.67 $19.67
27.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120 $120
$74.7 $74.7
60.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.74 $13.74
$9.83 $9.83
39.78%
Cappuccino
$6.60 $6.60
$5.04 $5.04
30.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$2.58 $2.58
48.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 $2.87
$1.97 $1.97
45.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.95 $7.95
$6.09 $6.09
30.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.06 $10.06
$7.09 $7.09
41.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
Berwyn, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 $1.37
$0.83 $0.83
65.06%
White Bread (500g)
$4.75 $4.75
$3.60 $3.60
31.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.69 $7.69
$5.30 $5.30
45.09%
Eggs
$5.87 $5.87
$4.69 $4.69
25.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.25 $19.25
$10.01 $10.01
92.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.83 $17.83
$13.92 $13.92
28.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.03 $19.03
$16.75 $16.75
13.61%
Apples (1kg)
$6.69 $6.69
$5.04 $5.04
32.74%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 $2.29
$1.50 $1.50
52.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.41 $6.41
$3.91 $3.91
63.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.75 $6.75
$5.00 $5.00
35.00%
Potato (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$2.59 $2.59
51.74%
Onion (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$2.58 $2.58
75.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.79 $2.79
$2.14 $2.14
30.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$2.39 $2.39
5.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.10 $18.10
$10.95 $10.95
65.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.16 $20.16
$15.16 $15.16
32.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.96 $1.96
66.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 $3.75
$3.49 $3.49
7.45%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
Berwyn, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.76 $1.76
65.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$143 $143
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 $3.06
$2.85 $2.85
7.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.37 $1.37
57.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.33 $41.33
$21.24 $21.24
94.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.24 $1.24
-9.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K $33.1K
$33.9K $33.9K
-2.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$25.9K $25.9K
-0.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
Berwyn, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$195 $195
12.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$75.3 $75.3
$68.7 $68.7
9.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.5 $70.5
$61.2 $61.2
15.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
Berwyn, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$116 $116
$43.38 $43.38
166.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$67.6 $67.6
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$21.37 $21.37
$13.97 $13.97
52.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
Berwyn, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,432 $3,432
$1,693 $1,693
102.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$61.7K $61.7K
$24.3K $24.3K
153.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
Berwyn, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.9 $74.9
$54.4 $54.4
37.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.1 $52.1
$40.43 $40.43
28.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 $117
$94.9 $94.9
23.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 $135
$115 $115
16.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
Berwyn, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,347 $4,347
$1,401 $1,401
210.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,117 $3,117
$1,183 $1,183
163.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$9,110 $9,110
$2,623 $2,623
247.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,379 $5,379
$2,052 $2,052
162.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$19.3K $19.3K
$2,341 $2,341
723.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,943 $6,943
$2,156 $2,156
222.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
Berwyn, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,238 $5,238
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.85
6.65
3.01%

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 Berwyn, IL: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3.1K
Berwyn, IL
$1.2K 62.1% $1.9K
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$552
Berwyn, IL
$406 26.4% $146
Eating Out
New York, NY
$407
Berwyn, IL
$310 23.8% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$365
Berwyn, IL
$325 11% $40
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$170
Berwyn, IL
$137 19.4% $33
Getting Around
New York, NY
$168
Berwyn, IL
$17 * 90% $151
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$158
Berwyn, IL
$71 54.9% $87

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,347 in New York, NY and $1,401 in Berwyn, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $120 in New York, NY vs $75.0 in Berwyn, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $552 vs $406 per month, with Berwyn, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇺🇸 Berwyn, IL
🕒 Local time
23:57 11:57 PM
22:57 10:57 PM
1 h behind New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
57,250
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY Berwyn, IL 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • Berwyn, 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 Berwyn, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Berwyn, IL cheaper than New York, NY?
Berwyn, IL is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $7,407 in New York, NY and $3,674 in Berwyn, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between New York, NY and Berwyn, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $4,347 in New York, NY versus $1,401 in Berwyn, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $3,432 in New York, NY versus $1,693 in Berwyn, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in New York, NY or in Berwyn, IL?
Dining out is cheaper in Berwyn, IL – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $120 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in New York, NY or in Berwyn, IL?
At $2,449 in Berwyn, IL versus $4,938 in New York, NY, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Berwyn, IL but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Berwyn, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is New York, NY or Berwyn, IL more family-friendly?
For families, Berwyn, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in New York, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, New York, NY or Berwyn, IL?
Safety-wise, New York, NY and Berwyn, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Berwyn, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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