Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Des Moines, IA: $2,171 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $33,200 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
105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,938 in New York, NY versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA.

New York, NY $4,938
Des Moines, IA $2,171

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,273 in New York, NY versus $3,236 in Des Moines, IA.

New York, NY $7,273
Des Moines, IA $3,236

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,608 in New York, NY versus $4,301 in Des Moines, IA.

New York, NY $9,608
Des Moines, IA $4,301

Living in New York, NY is roughly 127% more expensive than in Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 264% above, Des Moines, IA 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.99 $24.99

$19.69 $19.69

26.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$80.8 $80.8

48.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.74 $13.74

$12.22 $12.22

12.44%

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$6.16 $6.16

7.14%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$2.93 $2.93

30.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.56 $2.56

12.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$4.99 $4.99

59.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.06 $10.06

$5.89 $5.89

70.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.91 $0.91

50.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.03 $3.03

56.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$3.38 $3.38

127.51%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$4.00 $4.00

46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$9.69 $9.69

98.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.83 $17.83

$9.91 $9.91

79.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$13.68 $13.68

39.11%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$4.33 $4.33

54.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.51 $1.51

51.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$4.54 $4.54

41.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$3.68 $3.68

83.42%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.07 $3.07

28.01%

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.14 $2.14

111.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.38 $2.38

17.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.19 $2.19

14.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.10 $18.10

$7.85 $7.85

130.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$14.79 $14.79

36.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.70 $1.70

91.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.09 $3.09

21.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.73 $1.73

68.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 $143

$58.1 $58.1

145.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.97 $1.97

55.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.23 $1.23

75.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$19.70 $19.70

109.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.93 $0.93

20.43%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$27.2K $27.2K

21.89%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.1K $25.1K

2.27%

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

$219 $219

$185 $185

18.80%

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

$75.3 $75.3

$53.6 $53.6

40.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$70.2 $70.2

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 $116

$63.8 $63.8

81.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

$20.14 $20.14

235.75%

Cinema Ticket

$21.37 $21.37

$9.99 $9.99

113.91%

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

$3,432 $3,432

$1,187 $1,187

189.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.7K $61.7K

$12.0K $12.0K

416.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 $74.9

$59.5 $59.5

25.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$42.98 $42.98

21.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$101 $101

15.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$145 $145

-7.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,347 $4,347

$1,177 $1,177

269.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 $3,117

$872 $872

257.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,110 $9,110

$1,738 $1,738

424.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,379 $5,379

$1,394 $1,394

285.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$2,320 $2,320

731.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

$2,325 $2,325

198.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,238 $5,238

$3,647 $3,647

43.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.56

4.42%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1%

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2% 72% $2.2K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$552 11.2%

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1% 36.7% $203

Eating Out

New York, NY

$407 8.2%

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1% 19.7% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$365 7.4%

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2% 15.6% $57

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$170 3.5%

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2% 7.9% $13

Getting Around

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4% 56.5% $95

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$158 3.2%

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9% 47.1% $74

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,347 in New York, NY and $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 44% 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: $120 in New York, NY vs $81.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $552 vs $349 per month, with Des Moines, IA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

06:21 6:21 AM

05:21 5:21 AM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

214,133

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Des Moines, IA 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Moines, IA wins on cost – living expenses run 127% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Des Moines, IA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 44% 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: $4,347 in New York, NY versus $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Des Moines, IA – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $120 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,938 per month in New York, NY versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $4,938 in New York, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Des Moines, IA but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Des Moines, IA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Des Moines, IA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,171 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Des Moines, IA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Des Moines, 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 Des Moines, IA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.