Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Des Plaines, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Des Plaines, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,458 in New York, NY versus $2,558 in Des Plaines, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,020 in New York, NY versus $3,752 in Des Plaines, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,582 in New York, NY versus $4,946 in Des Plaines, IL.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 74% more expensive than Des Plaines, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 232% above, Des Plaines, IL 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.87 $29.87

$14.80 $14.80

101.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 $148

$80.6 $80.6

83.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 $12.37

$10.79 $10.79

14.64%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$5.42 $5.42

11.99%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.64 $2.64

21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.24 $2.24

18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$5.88 $5.88

34.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.19 $12.19

$6.90 $6.90

76.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.86 $0.86

80.23%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.08 $4.08

25.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.16 $8.16

$5.38 $5.38

51.67%

Eggs

$6.96 $6.96

$3.95 $3.95

76.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.53 $17.53

$14.05 $14.05

24.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$13.25 $13.25

22.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.40 $20.40

$16.68 $16.68

22.30%

Apples (1kg)

$7.60 $7.60

$4.51 $4.51

68.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.62 $1.62

51.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$4.25 $4.25

32.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$4.50 $4.50

43.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.46 $2.46

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.78 $2.78

43.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.96 $1.96

60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.97 $1.97

24.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.92 $18.92

$14.57 $14.57

29.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.27 $20.27

$14.77 $14.77

37.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.33 $2.33

23.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.54 $3.54

9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.98 $1.98

45.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$132 $132

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$4.39 $4.39

16.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.42 $1.42

54.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.50 $42.50

$24.85 $24.85

71.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.08 $1.08

-12.04%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$25.0K $25.0K

42.39%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

9.16%

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

$181 $181

$186 $186

-3.07%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$51.6 $51.6

16.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$65.6 $65.6

-2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$141 $141

$42.94 $42.94

228.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.9 $64.9

$39.93 $39.93

62.43%

Cinema Ticket

$19.92 $19.92

$15.10 $15.10

31.92%

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

$3,208 $3,208

$1,602 $1,602

100.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$57.8K $57.8K

$24.4K $24.4K

137.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 $68.3

$64.4 $64.4

6.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.77 $48.77

$47.96 $47.96

1.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$96.3 $96.3

17.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 $172

$133 $133

29.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,213 $4,213

$1,591 $1,591

164.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,706 $2,706

$1,330 $1,330

103.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,515 $8,515

$2,580 $2,580

230.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,231 $5,231

$2,181 $2,181

139.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.9K $17.9K

$3,279 $3,279

446.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,389 $6,389

$2,507 $2,507

154.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,445 $5,445

$6,273 $6,273

-13.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.6

-2.42%

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

Last update for New York, NY: June 7, 2026

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,213 in New York, NY and $1,591 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $148 in New York, NY vs $81.0 in Des Plaines, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $410 per month, with Des Plaines, 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 Des Plaines, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and Des Plaines, IL differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($4,458 vs $2,558 including rent). Des Plaines, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Des Plaines, IL earns 15% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,213 in New York, NY versus $1,591 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,208 in New York, NY versus $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Des Plaines, IL – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $148 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. Des Plaines, 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 Des Plaines, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.