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: $4,607 in New York, NY versus $3,100 in Des Plaines, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,137 in New York, NY versus $4,286 in Des Plaines, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,667 in New York, NY versus $5,472 in Des Plaines, IL.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 49% more expensive than in Des Plaines, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 236% above, Des Plaines, IL 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$20.28 $20.28

22.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 $139

$86.2 $86.2

61.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 $12.74

$12.90 $12.90

-1.24%

Cappuccino

$6.27 $6.27

$5.84 $5.84

7.36%

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

$3.73 $3.73

$2.74 $2.74

36.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.27 $2.27

29.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.10 $8.10

$6.93 $6.93

16.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.18 $10.18

$7.60 $7.60

33.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.00 $1.00

37.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.67 $3.67

24.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$4.85 $4.85

36.49%

Eggs

$5.75 $5.75

$4.02 $4.02

43.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.18 $16.18

$15.16 $15.16

6.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.60 $14.60

$14.03 $14.03

4.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.50 $17.50

$19.06 $19.06

-8.18%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$4.87 $4.87

19.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.61 $1.61

34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.19 $4.19

40.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$4.95 $4.95

24.24%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.85 $2.85

17.54%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.56 $2.56

57.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.14 $2.14

27.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.33 $2.33

5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.76 $18.76

$14.21 $14.21

32.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 $19.79

$15.19 $15.19

30.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.53 $2.53

23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.14 $4.14

-1.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.03 $2.03

52.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 $142

$60.2 $60.2

136.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.28 $3.28

-6.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.39 $1.39

59.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.81 $41.81

$19.88 $19.88

110.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.98 $0.98

9.18%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

0.09%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

-0.20%

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

$232 $232

$192 $192

21.22%

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

$73.0 $73.0

$60.1 $60.1

21.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$76.1 $76.1

0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$124 $124

-3.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.7 $61.7

$40.46 $40.46

52.50%

Cinema Ticket

$22.58 $22.58

$14.73 $14.73

53.29%

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

$3,415 $3,415

$1,510 $1,510

126.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.8K $60.8K

$23.3K $23.3K

160.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 $71.4

$63.9 $63.9

11.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 $52.3

$49.86 $49.86

4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$99.8 $99.8

14.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$121 $121

2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,270 $4,270

$1,680 $1,680

154.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 $2,851

$1,620 $1,620

75.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,755 $8,755

$3,547 $3,547

146.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,244 $5,244

$2,241 $2,241

134.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.0K $19.0K

$3,175 $3,175

498.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,412 $6,412

$2,437 $2,437

163.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,283 $5,283

$6,293 $6,293

-16.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

6.38

0.47%

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

Last update for New York, NY: August 18, 2026

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,270 in New York, NY and $1,680 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 19% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $139 in New York, NY vs $86.0 in Des Plaines, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 vs $432 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 49% in total monthly costs ($4,607 vs $3,100 including rent). Des Plaines, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Des Plaines, IL. 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: $4,270 in New York, NY versus $1,680 in Des Plaines, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Des Plaines, IL – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $139 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 49% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.