Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Edwardsville, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Edwardsville, IL: $2,453 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $29,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY, United States
Edwardsville, IL, United States
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,906
/mo nomad
Edwardsville, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,453
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Edwardsville, IL

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 Edwardsville, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $2,453 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

  • New York, NY $4,906
  • Edwardsville, IL $2,453

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $3,818 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

  • New York, NY $7,273
  • Edwardsville, IL $3,818

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $5,183 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

  • New York, NY $9,641
  • Edwardsville, IL $5,183

New York, NY costs about 100% more than Edwardsville, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Edwardsville, IL sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Edwardsville, IL by 81%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.93 $26.93
$19.01 $19.01
41.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$117 $117
$81.1 $81.1
44.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.60 $14.60
$11.72 $11.72
24.57%
Cappuccino
$6.54 $6.54
$4.87 $4.87
34.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 $3.86
$2.99 $2.99
29.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 $2.95
$2.02 $2.02
46.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.08 $8.08
$6.18 $6.18
30.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.85 $9.85
$6.36 $6.36
54.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 $1.31
$1.13 $1.13
15.93%
White Bread (500g)
$4.97 $4.97
$3.96 $3.96
25.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.70 $7.70
$4.83 $4.83
59.42%
Eggs
$6.09 $6.09
$3.82 $3.82
59.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.55 $19.55
$10.68 $10.68
83.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.59 $17.59
$12.81 $12.81
37.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.26 $20.26
$15.75 $15.75
28.63%
Apples (1kg)
$6.99 $6.99
$5.70 $5.70
22.63%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 $2.21
$1.59 $1.59
38.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.72 $6.72
$4.07 $4.07
65.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.12 $7.12
$4.51 $4.51
57.87%
Potato (1kg)
$4.61 $4.61
$2.47 $2.47
86.64%
Onion (1kg)
$4.78 $4.78
$2.54 $2.54
88.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 $2.87
$1.90 $1.90
51.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.69 $2.69
$2.02 $2.02
33.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.14 $19.14
$11.38 $11.38
68.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.63 $19.63
$14.95 $14.95
31.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.32 $3.32
$1.85 $1.85
79.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$3.59 $3.59
16.71%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.02 $3.02
$2.14 $2.14
41.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$139 $139
$60.0 $60.0
132.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.93 $2.93
3.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.64 $1.64
34.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.33 $41.33
$34.23 $34.23
20.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$1.08 $1.08
4.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K $34.5K
$29.4K $29.4K
17.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$27.7K $27.7K
-6.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$232 $232
$207 $207
12.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.0 $71.0
$57.7 $57.7
23.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.7 $67.7
$70.1 $70.1
-3.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$115 $115
$40.23 $40.23
186.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$76.8 $76.8
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$22.41 $22.41
$12.35 $12.35
81.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,606 $3,606
$1,394 $1,394
158.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$68.7K $68.7K
$21.2K $21.2K
223.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.3 $79.3
$52.3 $52.3
51.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.4 $51.4
$41.06 $41.06
25.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 $121
$89.8 $89.8
34.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 $140
$113 $113
24.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,555 $4,555
$1,636 $1,636
178.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,040 $3,040
$1,134 $1,134
167.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$9,742 $9,742
$2,766 $2,766
252.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,331 $5,331
$2,267 $2,267
135.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.2K $18.2K
$2,645 $2,645
588.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,685 $6,685
$2,031 $2,031
229.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,096 $5,096
$4,901 $4,901
3.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
6.59
4.55%

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

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

Last update for Edwardsville, IL: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3K
Edwardsville, IL
$1.1K 62.7% $1.9K
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$567
Edwardsville, IL
$396 30.1% $171
Eating Out
New York, NY
$425
Edwardsville, IL
$309 27.2% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$371
Edwardsville, IL
$335 9.8% $36
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$176
Edwardsville, IL
$133 24.5% $43
Getting Around
New York, NY
$165
Edwardsville, IL
$80 51.8% $86
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$160
Edwardsville, IL
$65 59.5% $95

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,555 in New York, NY versus $1,636 in Edwardsville, IL. 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 4% 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 $117 in New York, NY versus $81 in Edwardsville, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $396 – making Edwardsville, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇺🇸 Edwardsville, IL
🕒 Local time
07:49 7:49 AM
06:49 6:49 AM
1 h behind New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
26,808
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY Edwardsville, IL 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • Edwardsville, IL

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 Edwardsville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Edwardsville, IL cheaper than New York, NY?
Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 100%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,358 per month in New York, NY and $3,679 in Edwardsville, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Edwardsville, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,636 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.
What are total monthly expenses in New York, NY and in Edwardsville, IL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,906 in New York, NY and $2,453 in Edwardsville, IL. That makes Edwardsville, IL about 50% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 57% less in Edwardsville, IL. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is New York, NY or Edwardsville, IL more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Edwardsville, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Edwardsville, IL. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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