Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Bloomington, IN: $2,206 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $32,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY, United States
Bloomington, IN, United States
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,941
/mo nomad
Bloomington, IN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,206
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Bloomington, IN

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, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $2,206 in Bloomington, IN, rent included.

  • New York, NY $4,941
  • Bloomington, IN $2,206

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $3,050 in Bloomington, IN, rent included.

  • New York, NY $7,225
  • Bloomington, IN $3,050

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $3,894 in Bloomington, IN, rent included.

  • New York, NY $9,509
  • Bloomington, IN $3,894

New York, NY costs about 124% more than Bloomington, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Bloomington, IN sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Bloomington, IN by 62%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
Bloomington, IN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.55 $28.55
$15.19 $15.19
87.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$118 $118
$49.60 $49.60
138.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.04 $15.04
$10.05 $10.05
49.65%
Cappuccino
$6.53 $6.53
$4.91 $4.91
32.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 $3.96
$2.13 $2.13
85.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 $3.01
$1.50 $1.50
100.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.16 $8.16
$5.11 $5.11
59.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.84 $9.84
$6.03 $6.03
63.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
Bloomington, IN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 $1.37
$0.75 $0.75
82.67%
White Bread (500g)
$4.97 $4.97
$3.32 $3.32
49.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.81 $7.81
$4.04 $4.04
93.32%
Eggs
$5.97 $5.97
$3.64 $3.64
64.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.91 $18.91
$13.04 $13.04
45.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.04 $18.04
$6.04 $6.04
198.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.05 $19.05
$16.09 $16.09
18.40%
Apples (1kg)
$6.76 $6.76
$4.35 $4.35
55.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 $2.27
$1.29 $1.29
75.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.83 $6.83
$3.22 $3.22
112.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.09 $7.09
$4.60 $4.60
54.13%
Potato (1kg)
$4.22 $4.22
$2.56 $2.56
64.84%
Onion (1kg)
$4.65 $4.65
$3.30 $3.30
40.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.01 $2.01
42.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.60 $2.60
$1.84 $1.84
41.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.77 $18.77
$9.78 $9.78
91.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.13 $20.13
$11.07 $11.07
81.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.45 $3.45
$1.83 $1.83
88.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 $4.02
$2.92 $2.92
37.67%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
Bloomington, IN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 $2.91
$0.97 $0.97
200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$139 $139
$29.41 $29.41
372.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 $3.08
$3.67 $3.67
-16.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 $2.12
$1.05 $1.05
101.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.96 $41.96
$18.31 $18.31
129.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$0.89 $0.89
31.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K $34.5K
$27.6K $27.6K
25.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$25.9K $25.9K
-0.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
Bloomington, IN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$148 $148
48.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$74.2 $74.2
$78.0 $78.0
-4.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.2 $70.2
$64.6 $64.6
8.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
Bloomington, IN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$112 $112
$31.26 $31.26
258.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$74.9 $74.9
$20.80 $20.80
259.90%
Cinema Ticket
$22.14 $22.14
$11.75 $11.75
88.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
Bloomington, IN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,558 $3,558
$1,300 $1,300
173.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$62.2K $62.2K
$19.7K $19.7K
215.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
Bloomington, IN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.6 $75.6
$46.11 $46.11
63.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.2 $51.2
$42.71 $42.71
19.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$123 $123
$66.8 $66.8
84.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 $140
$88.9 $88.9
57.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
Bloomington, IN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,499 $4,499
$1,231 $1,231
265.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,078 $3,078
$1,110 $1,110
177.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$9,447 $9,447
$1,987 $1,987
375.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,190 $5,190
$1,515 $1,515
242.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.1K $18.1K
$2,370 $2,370
664.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,693 $6,693
$1,932 $1,932
246.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
Bloomington, IN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,220 $5,220
$3,682 $3,682
41.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.86
6.55
4.73%

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, IN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3.1K
Bloomington, IN
$1.1K 63.9% $2K
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$563
Bloomington, IN
$336 40.3% $227
Eating Out
New York, NY
$440
Bloomington, IN
$263 40.3% $178
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$364
Bloomington, IN
$290 20.2% $74
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$175
Bloomington, IN
$110 37.3% $65
Getting Around
New York, NY
$164
Bloomington, IN
$42 74.3% $122
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$156
Bloomington, IN
$55 64.9% $101

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,231 in Bloomington, IN. 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 42% 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 $50 in Bloomington, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $336 – making Bloomington, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇺🇸 Bloomington, IN
🕒 Local time
05:44 5:44 AM
05:44 5:44 AM
Same time as New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
69,247
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY Bloomington, IN 1,060 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • Bloomington, IN

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 Bloomington, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bloomington, IN cheaper than New York, NY?
Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 124%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $3,309 in Bloomington, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloomington, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,231 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 79% less in Bloomington, IN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $1,300 in Bloomington, IN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in New York, NY or in Bloomington, IN?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Bloomington, IN, where all-in costs run around $2,206, than in New York, NY at $4,941. In Bloomington, IN it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is New York, NY or Bloomington, IN more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Bloomington, IN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bloomington, IN. 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.

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