Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bloomington, IL: $2,280 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $31,900 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
109

Cost of Living Index in Bloomington, IL
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Bloomington, IL Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Bloomington, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,280

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $2,280 in Bloomington, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $4,941
Bloomington, IL $2,280

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $3,272 in Bloomington, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $7,225
Bloomington, IL $3,272

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $4,264 in Bloomington, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $9,509
Bloomington, IL $4,264

New York, NY costs about 117% more than Bloomington, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Bloomington, IL sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Bloomington, IL by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$18.17 $18.17

57.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$78.3 $78.3

51.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$12.20 $12.20

23.28%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$4.98 $4.98

31.12%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.36 $2.36

67.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.68 $1.68

79.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$5.60 $5.60

45.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$6.89 $6.89

42.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.09 $1.09

25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.44 $2.44

103.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$4.35 $4.35

79.54%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$3.62 $3.62

64.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.14 $13.14

43.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$7.86 $7.86

129.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$17.51 $17.51

8.79%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$3.68 $3.68

83.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.59 $1.59

42.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$5.45 $5.45

25.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$3.47 $3.47

104.32%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.41 $3.41

23.75%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.75 $2.75

69.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.68 $2.68

7.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.71 $2.71

-4.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$8.07 $8.07

132.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$15.21 $15.21

32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.01 $2.01

71.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.23 $3.23

24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.27 $1.27

129.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$40.17 $40.17

245.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.42 $3.42

-9.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.53 $1.53

38.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$39.42 $39.42

6.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.02 $1.02

14.71%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.7K $27.7K

24.54%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$25.8K $25.8K

0.21%

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

$219 $219

$203 $203

7.82%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$70.9 $70.9

4.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$75.5 $75.5

-6.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$44.79 $44.79

149.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$9.83 $9.83

125.23%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,429 $1,429

148.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$24.1K $24.1K

157.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$58.3 $58.3

29.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$39.48 $39.48

29.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$83.8 $83.8

46.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$118 $118

18.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$905 $905

396.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,004 $1,004

206.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$1,456 $1,456

548.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$1,461 $1,461

255.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$1,572 $1,572

1052.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$1,257 $1,257

432.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$4,622 $4,622

12.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.72

2.08%

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 Bloomington, IL: 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%

Bloomington, IL

$1K 44% 67.4% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Bloomington, IL

$371 16.3% 34% $192

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Bloomington, IL

$300 13.1% 31.9% $141

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Bloomington, IL

$350 15.3% 3.8% $14

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Bloomington, IL

$135 5.9% 23.2% $41

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Bloomington, IL

$56 2.5% 65.7% $108

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Bloomington, IL

$64 2.8% 58.7% $92

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $905 in Bloomington, 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 13% higher in New York, NY, 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 $118 in New York, NY versus $78 in Bloomington, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $371 – making Bloomington, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Bloomington, IL

🕒 Local time

04:51 4:51 AM

03:51 3:51 AM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

69,247

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New York, NY Bloomington, IL 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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

New York, NY costs about 117% more than Bloomington, 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 $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $3,421 in Bloomington, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloomington, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $905 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $1,429 in Bloomington, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,941 in New York, NY and $2,280 in Bloomington, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Bloomington, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.