Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and East Chicago, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in East Chicago, IN: $2,605 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $28,000 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
126

Cost of Living Index in East Chicago, IN
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East Chicago, IN Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

East Chicago, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in East Chicago, IN

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 East Chicago, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $2,605 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

New York, NY $4,941
East Chicago, IN $2,605

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $3,819 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

New York, NY $7,225
East Chicago, IN $3,819

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $5,034 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

New York, NY $9,509
East Chicago, IN $5,034

New York, NY costs about 90% more than East Chicago, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and East Chicago, IN sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, East Chicago, IN by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$22.32 $22.32

27.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$65.1 $65.1

82.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$11.87 $11.87

26.71%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$5.63 $5.63

15.99%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.28 $2.28

73.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.05 $2.05

46.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.81 $6.81

19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$6.27 $6.27

56.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.06 $1.06

29.25%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.05 $3.05

62.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$4.75 $4.75

64.42%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$3.58 $3.58

66.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.42 $13.42

40.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$12.42 $12.42

45.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$18.70 $18.70

1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$5.08 $5.08

33.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.55 $1.55

46.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$4.28 $4.28

59.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.13 $4.13

71.67%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.79 $2.79

51.25%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.07 $3.07

51.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.23 $2.23

28.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.23 $2.23

16.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$10.24 $10.24

83.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$17.19 $17.19

17.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.98 $1.98

74.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.10 $3.10

29.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.86 $1.86

56.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$51.2 $51.2

171.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.41 $3.41

-9.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.56 $1.56

35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$28.94 $28.94

44.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.94 $0.94

24.47%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$28.8K $28.8K

19.63%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$24.9K $24.9K

3.74%

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

$219 $219

$199 $199

10.16%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$57.1 $57.1

30.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$69.7 $69.7

0.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$34.38 $34.38

225.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$12.97 $12.97

70.70%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,336 $1,336

166.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$21.6K $21.6K

187.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$55.8 $55.8

35.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$37.96 $37.96

34.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$91.3 $91.3

34.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$108 $108

29.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$1,578 $1,578

185.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,265 $1,265

143.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$2,539 $2,539

272.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$2,140 $2,140

142.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$2,920 $2,920

520.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$2,165 $2,165

209.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$4,091 $4,091

27.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.57

4.41%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for East Chicago, IN: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

East Chicago, IN

$1.3K 48.6% 58.9% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

East Chicago, IN

$406 15.6% 27.9% $157

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

East Chicago, IN

$346 13.3% 21.5% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

East Chicago, IN

$326 12.5% 10.4% $38

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

East Chicago, IN

$132 5.1% 24.8% $43

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

East Chicago, IN

$70 2.7% 57.5% $94

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

East Chicago, IN

$60 2.3% 61.4% $96

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,578 in East Chicago, IN. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 28% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in New York, NY versus $65 in East Chicago, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $406 – making East Chicago, IN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 East Chicago, IN

🕒 Local time

10:26 10:26 AM

09:26 9:26 AM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

26,370

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

New York, NY East Chicago, IN 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
East Chicago, IN

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 East Chicago, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 90%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $3,907 in East Chicago, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in East Chicago, IN, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,578 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,941 in New York, NY and $2,605 in East Chicago, IN. That’s a gap of about 90%.

Public transport costs about 63% less in East Chicago, IN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,941 in New York, NY and $2,605 in East Chicago, IN. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward East Chicago, IN – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with East Chicago, IN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.