Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Independence, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Independence, KS: $1,974 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $35,700 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
96

Cost of Living Index in Independence, KS
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Independence, KS Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Independence, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,974

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Independence, KS

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 Independence, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,950 in New York, NY versus $1,974 in Independence, KS.

New York, NY $4,950
Independence, KS $1,974

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,265 in New York, NY versus $2,922 in Independence, KS.

New York, NY $7,265
Independence, KS $2,922

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,581 in New York, NY versus $3,870 in Independence, KS.

New York, NY $9,581
Independence, KS $3,870

Living in New York, NY is roughly 151% more expensive than in Independence, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 267% above, Independence, KS 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$19.64 $19.64

25.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$74.6 $74.6

62.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 $13.91

$11.23 $11.23

23.86%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.17 $5.17

27.47%

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

$3.84 $3.84

$2.60 $2.60

47.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.05 $2.05

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$5.94 $5.94

31.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.46 $7.46

32.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.01 $1.01

36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.51 $3.51

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$4.14 $4.14

82.13%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$4.26 $4.26

39.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$12.27 $12.27

53.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$10.48 $10.48

65.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$17.23 $17.23

7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.15 $5.15

30.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.57 $1.57

33.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$4.83 $4.83

25.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.00 $5.00

34.80%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.42 $2.42

67.36%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.78 $2.78

57.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.16 $2.16

33.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.53 $2.53

2.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 $18.72

$9.32 $9.32

100.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 $20.06

$14.76 $14.76

35.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.02 $2.02

60.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.30 $3.30

13.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.28 $2.28

34.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.34 $3.34

-8.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.72 $1.72

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.82 $41.82

$25.62 $25.62

63.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.99 $0.99

13.13%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

-0.05%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.9K $25.9K

0.63%

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

$219 $219

$203 $203

7.77%

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

$73.2 $73.2

$57.2 $57.2

27.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$71.2 $71.2

1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

$41.43 $41.43

196.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.7 $67.7

Cinema Ticket

$22.85 $22.85

$13.73 $13.73

66.42%

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

$3,333 $3,333

$1,424 $1,424

133.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.0K $60.0K

$22.3K $22.3K

169.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$52.6 $52.6

42.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$46.65 $46.65

12.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$89.0 $89.0

36.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$116 $116

14.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,389 $4,389

$1,621 $1,621

170.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,130 $3,130

$702 $702

345.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,918 $8,918

$2,472 $2,472

260.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,354 $5,354

$1,071 $1,071

400.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K $19.4K

$2,763 $2,763

602.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,806 $6,806

$2,454 $2,454

177.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,343 $5,343

$5,296 $5,296

0.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.57

3.81%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Last update for Independence, KS: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2%

Independence, KS

$702 35.6% 77.6% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$545 11%

Independence, KS

$397 20.1% 27.1% $148

Eating Out

New York, NY

$404 8.2%

Independence, KS

$316 16% 21.7% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Independence, KS

$332 16.8% 8.9% $33

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$172 3.5%

Independence, KS

$137 7% 20.3% $35

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Independence, KS

$69 3.5% 59.1% $99

Getting Around

New York, NY

$167 3.4%

Independence, KS

$21 * 1.1% 87.4% $145

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,389 in New York, NY and $1,621 in Independence, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 1% 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: $122 in New York, NY vs $75.0 in Independence, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $545 vs $397 per month, with Independence, KS cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Independence, KS

🕒 Local time

11:52 11:52 AM

10:52 10:52 AM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

117,213

💱 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 Independence, KS 1,890 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Independence, KS

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 Independence, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Independence, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 151% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Independence, KS the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1% 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: $4,389 in New York, NY versus $1,621 in Independence, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,333 in New York, NY versus $1,424 in Independence, KS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Independence, KS – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $122 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Independence, KS is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Independence, KS delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,974 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Independence, KS hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Independence, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.