Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Burlington, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Burlington, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,878 in New York, NY versus $1,790 in Burlington, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,262 in New York, NY versus $2,742 in Burlington, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,645 in New York, NY versus $3,695 in Burlington, IA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 172% more expensive than in Burlington, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 255% above, Burlington, IA 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.20 $25.20

$11.54 $11.54

118.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 $150

$60.9 $60.9

146.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 $13.98

$9.18 $9.18

52.29%

Cappuccino

$6.39 $6.39

$5.46 $5.46

17.03%

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

$4.01 $4.01

$1.95 $1.95

105.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.96 $1.96

48.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$3.51 $3.51

128.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$4.58 $4.58

117.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$0.77 $0.77

72.73%

White Bread (500g)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.59 $2.59

85.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$8.18 $8.18

-16.75%

Eggs

$5.67 $5.67

$3.04 $3.04

86.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$14.70 $14.70

13.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$13.23 $13.23

12.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$15.06 $15.06

25.50%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$5.04 $5.04

19.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.67 $1.67

29.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.87 $4.87

16.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$4.99 $4.99

21.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.99 $2.99

16.72%

Onion (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.44 $3.44

20.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.81 $1.81

47.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.47 $2.47

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.04 $19.04

$9.03 $9.03

110.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 $19.73

$11.93 $11.93

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.69 $1.69

95.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$4.12 $4.12

-3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.58 $1.58

89.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$20.47 $20.47

585.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.96 $2.96

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.78 $1.78

19.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$29.49 $29.49

39.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.90 $0.90

23.33%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$22.9K $22.9K

53.65%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$24.0K $24.0K

5.07%

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

$218 $218

$176 $176

23.78%

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

$76.5 $76.5

$52.4 $52.4

45.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$50.3 $50.3

51.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$128 $128

$41.39 $41.39

208.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.2 $63.2

Cinema Ticket

$23.94 $23.94

$12.12 $12.12

97.52%

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

$3,313 $3,313

$716 $716

362.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.8K $60.8K

$23.7K $23.7K

157.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 $74.0

$43.73 $43.73

69.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 $56.3

$30.81 $30.81

82.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$87.2 $87.2

33.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$37.35 $37.35

247.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,391 $4,391

$766 $766

473.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$709 $709

335.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,291 $9,291

$1,197 $1,197

676.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,460 $5,460

$1,264 $1,264

331.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$1,023 $1,023

1786.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,723 $6,723

$1,049 $1,049

541.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,364 $5,364

$4,289 $4,289

25.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.16

4.38%

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 Burlington, IA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,391 in New York, NY and $766 in Burlington, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $150 in New York, NY vs $61.0 in Burlington, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $512 vs $407 per month, with Burlington, IA 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 Burlington, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burlington, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 172% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Burlington, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 25% higher in New York, NY, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,391 in New York, NY versus $766 in Burlington, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,313 in New York, NY versus $716 in Burlington, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,790 in Burlington, IA versus $4,878 in New York, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Burlington, IA but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Burlington, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Burlington, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,790 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Burlington, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Burlington, IA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Burlington, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.