Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Cape Girardeau, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Cape Girardeau, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,503 in New York, NY versus $1,885 in Cape Girardeau, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,077 in New York, NY versus $2,944 in Cape Girardeau, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,650 in New York, NY versus $4,002 in Cape Girardeau, MO.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 139% more expensive than Cape Girardeau, MO, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 236% above, Cape Girardeau, MO 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.28 $30.28

$15.14 $15.14

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$49.36 $49.36

188.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 $12.65

$7.04 $7.04

79.69%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$5.23 $5.23

11.09%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$2.14 $2.14

52.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.77 $1.77

45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$3.22 $3.22

154.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.82 $11.82

$4.38 $4.38

169.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.78 $0.78

96.15%

White Bread (500g)

$5.27 $5.27

$2.26 $2.26

133.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.34 $8.34

$3.35 $3.35

148.96%

Eggs

$7.25 $7.25

$4.01 $4.01

80.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$10.81 $10.81

59.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.21 $16.21

$8.59 $8.59

88.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.82 $19.82

$10.98 $10.98

80.51%

Apples (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$9.05 $9.05

-16.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.85 $1.85

30.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$7.80 $7.80

-25.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$8.70 $8.70

-26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.22 $3.22

20.19%

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$6.89 $6.89

-41.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.90 $2.90

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.22 $2.22

10.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.26 $19.26

$7.69 $7.69

150.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.96 $19.96

$15.12 $15.12

32.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.69 $1.69

76.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.98 $3.98

-6.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.96 $1.96

44.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$134 $134

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.43 $3.43

48.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.57 $1.57

34.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.31 $42.31

$29.21 $29.21

44.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.81 $0.81

19.75%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$27.3K $27.3K

27.17%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$19.9K $19.9K

39.66%

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

$181 $181

$151 $151

20.06%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$43.93 $43.93

37.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$78.6 $78.6

-20.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$19.95 $19.95

617.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.3 $65.3

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$13.44 $13.44

48.66%

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

$3,216 $3,216

$743 $743

332.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$57.2K $57.2K

$23.7K $23.7K

141.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$39.30 $39.30

71.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.68 $47.68

$40.69 $40.69

17.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$86.6 $86.6

28.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 $169

$39.86 $39.86

323.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,092 $4,092

$798 $798

412.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 $2,694

$806 $806

234.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,445 $8,445

$1,402 $1,402

502.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,128 $5,128

$1,635 $1,635

213.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$1,462 $1,462

1143.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,299 $6,299

$1,432 $1,432

339.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,540 $5,540

$2,487 $2,487

122.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.45

-0.16%

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

Last update for New York, NY: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cape Girardeau, MO: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,092 in New York, NY and $798 in Cape Girardeau, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 123% 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: $142 in New York, NY vs $49.00 in Cape Girardeau, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $408 per month, with Cape Girardeau, MO 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 Cape Girardeau, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Girardeau, MO is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

New York, NY pays 123% more on average, 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: $4,092 in New York, NY versus $798 in Cape Girardeau, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $4,503 per month in New York, NY versus $1,885 in Cape Girardeau, MO – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,885 in Cape Girardeau, MO versus $4,503 in New York, NY, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cape Girardeau, MO but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Cape Girardeau, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cape Girardeau, MO is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in New York, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cape Girardeau, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.