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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,878 in New York, NY versus $2,552 in Bradley, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,262 in New York, NY versus $3,634 in Bradley, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,645 in New York, NY versus $4,715 in Bradley, IL.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 91% more expensive than in Bradley, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 255% above, Bradley, IL 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.20 $25.20

$15.08 $15.08

67.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 $150

$62.6 $62.6

140.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 $13.98

$8.03 $8.03

74.10%

Cappuccino

$6.39 $6.39

$5.04 $5.04

26.79%

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

$4.01 $4.01

$2.23 $2.23

79.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.09 $1.09

166.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$5.06 $5.06

58.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$5.03 $5.03

97.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$0.95 $0.95

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.27 $2.27

111.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$5.37 $5.37

26.82%

Eggs

$5.67 $5.67

$3.94 $3.94

43.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$12.04 $12.04

38.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$15.19 $15.19

-2.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$18.20 $18.20

3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$4.97 $4.97

21.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.70 $2.70

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$5.35 $5.35

5.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$4.83 $4.83

25.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.50 $3.50

-0.29%

Onion (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.90 $2.90

42.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.99 $1.99

34.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.02 $3.02

-15.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.04 $19.04

$11.80 $11.80

61.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 $19.73

$12.78 $12.78

54.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.15 $2.15

53.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$4.39 $4.39

-9.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.02 $2.02

48.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$4.48 $4.48

-34.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.95 $2.95

-28.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$17.60 $17.60

134.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.06 $1.06

4.72%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$36.9K $36.9K

-4.55%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.0K $27.0K

-6.80%

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

$218 $218

$228 $228

-4.27%

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

$76.5 $76.5

$52.4 $52.4

46.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$65.6 $65.6

15.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$128 $128

$42.44 $42.44

201.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.2 $63.2

Cinema Ticket

$23.94 $23.94

$14.76 $14.76

62.20%

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

$3,313 $3,313

$1,446 $1,446

129.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.8K $60.8K

$12.9K $12.9K

373.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 $74.0

$66.5 $66.5

11.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 $56.3

$32.84 $32.84

71.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$64.4 $64.4

80.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$100 $100

29.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,391 $4,391

$1,619 $1,619

171.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$1,292 $1,292

139.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,291 $9,291

$2,540 $2,540

265.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,460 $5,460

$2,175 $2,175

151.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$2,751 $2,751

601.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,723 $6,723

$2,429 $2,429

176.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,364 $5,364

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.36

1.10%

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

Last update for New York, NY: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bradley, IL: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,391 in New York, NY and $1,619 in Bradley, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $150 in New York, NY vs $63.0 in Bradley, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $512 vs $428 per month, with Bradley, IL cheaper across the board.

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 Bradley, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and Bradley, IL differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($4,878 vs $2,552 including rent). Bradley, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $7,317 in New York, NY and $3,828 in Bradley, 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,391 in New York, NY versus $1,619 in Bradley, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,313 in New York, NY versus $1,446 in Bradley, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bradley, IL – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $150 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Bradley, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Bradley, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.