Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Big Rapids, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Big Rapids, MI: $1,961 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $35,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in Big Rapids, MI
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Big Rapids, MI Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Big Rapids, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,961

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Big Rapids, MI

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 Big Rapids, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,941 in New York, NY versus $1,961 in Big Rapids, MI.

New York, NY $4,941
Big Rapids, MI $1,961

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,225 in New York, NY versus $2,883 in Big Rapids, MI.

New York, NY $7,225
Big Rapids, MI $2,883

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,509 in New York, NY versus $3,804 in Big Rapids, MI.

New York, NY $9,509
Big Rapids, MI $3,804

Living in New York, NY is roughly 152% more expensive than in Big Rapids, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 263% above, Big Rapids, MI 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$18.73 $18.73

52.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$61.1 $61.1

93.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$8.17 $8.17

84.09%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$4.93 $4.93

32.45%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.99 $2.99

32.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.18 $2.18

38.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.52 $6.52

25.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$7.84 $7.84

25.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.89 $0.89

53.93%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.20 $3.20

55.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$2.17 $2.17

259.91%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$3.70 $3.70

61.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$16.99 $16.99

11.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$13.26 $13.26

36.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$14.66 $14.66

29.95%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$3.41 $3.41

98.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.63 $0.63

260.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$3.82 $3.82

78.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.49 $4.49

57.91%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.29 $2.29

84.28%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.73 $2.73

70.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.33 $2.33

23.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.05 $2.05

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$10.26 $10.26

82.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$13.64 $13.64

47.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.08 $2.08

65.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.84 $2.84

41.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.96 $1.96

48.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$61.0 $61.0

127.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.98 $2.98

3.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.59 $1.59

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$26.80 $26.80

56.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.12 $1.12

4.46%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$29.6K $29.6K

16.29%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$24.0K $24.0K

7.61%

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

$219 $219

$196 $196

11.83%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$58.9 $58.9

26.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$72.3 $72.3

-2.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$43.35 $43.35

158.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$13.11 $13.11

68.88%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,985 $1,985

79.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$19.7K $19.7K

215.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$56.1 $56.1

34.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$35.30 $35.30

45.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$85.8 $85.8

43.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$103 $103

35.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$912 $912

393.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$682 $682

351.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$1,575 $1,575

499.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$1,064 $1,064

387.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$2,629 $2,629

588.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$2,463 $2,463

171.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

5.68

20.77%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Big Rapids, MI: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Big Rapids, MI

$682 34.8% 77.8% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Big Rapids, MI

$374 19.1% 33.6% $189

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Big Rapids, MI

$302 15.4% 31.3% $138

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Big Rapids, MI

$327 16.7% 10% $36

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Big Rapids, MI

$126 6.4% 28% $49

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Big Rapids, MI

$80 4.1% 51.4% $84

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Big Rapids, MI

$70 3.6% 55.5% $87

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,499 in New York, NY and $912 in Big Rapids, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $118 in New York, NY vs $61 in Big Rapids, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $563 vs $374 per month, with Big Rapids, MI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Big Rapids, MI

🕒 Local time

14:06 2:06 PM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

10,565

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New York, NY Big Rapids, MI 990 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Big Rapids, MI

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 Big Rapids, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Big Rapids, MI is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 152% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $7,412 in New York, NY and $2,942 in Big Rapids, MI 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,499 in New York, NY versus $912 in Big Rapids, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Big Rapids, MI – a meal for two runs $61 versus $118 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,961 in Big Rapids, MI versus $4,941 in New York, NY, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Big Rapids, MI but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Big Rapids, MI 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.

Expats usually find Big Rapids, MI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.