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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,878 in New York, NY versus $1,988 in Independence, KS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,262 in New York, NY versus $2,904 in Independence, KS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,645 in New York, NY versus $3,820 in Independence, KS.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 145% more expensive than in Independence, KS, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 255% above, Independence, KS 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.20 $25.20

$20.26 $20.26

24.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 $150

$75.9 $75.9

97.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 $13.98

$11.42 $11.42

22.42%

Cappuccino

$6.39 $6.39

$5.46 $5.46

17.03%

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

$4.01 $4.01

$2.62 $2.62

53.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.02 $2.02

44.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$6.01 $6.01

33.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$7.20 $7.20

38.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$0.99 $0.99

34.34%

White Bread (500g)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.51 $3.51

36.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$4.01 $4.01

69.83%

Eggs

$5.67 $5.67

$4.38 $4.38

29.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$12.16 $12.16

37.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$9.71 $9.71

52.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$16.45 $16.45

14.89%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$5.08 $5.08

18.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.66 $1.66

30.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.51 $4.51

25.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.23 $5.23

16.06%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.03 $3.03

15.18%

Onion (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$3.08 $3.08

34.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.09 $2.09

27.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.39 $2.39

7.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.04 $19.04

$10.81 $10.81

76.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 $19.73

$14.95 $14.95

31.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.97 $1.97

67.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.22 $3.22

23.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.97 $1.97

51.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.96 $2.96

-0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.52 $1.52

39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$28.40 $28.40

45.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.94 $0.94

18.09%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$35.9K $35.9K

-1.96%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$25.3K $25.3K

-0.54%

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

$218 $218

$200 $200

8.99%

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

$76.5 $76.5

$57.7 $57.7

32.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$68.0 $68.0

11.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$128 $128

$41.25 $41.25

209.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.2 $63.2

Cinema Ticket

$23.94 $23.94

$13.75 $13.75

74.11%

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

$3,313 $3,313

$1,420 $1,420

133.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.8K $60.8K

$22.7K $22.7K

168.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 $74.0

$52.4 $52.4

41.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 $56.3

$38.32 $38.32

46.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$87.3 $87.3

33.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$117 $117

11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,391 $4,391

$1,567 $1,567

180.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$691 $691

346.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,291 $9,291

$2,509 $2,509

270.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,460 $5,460

$1,048 $1,048

420.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$3,145 $3,145

513.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,723 $6,723

$2,473 $2,473

171.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,364 $5,364

$5,289 $5,289

1.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.12

5.07%

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

Last update for New York, NY: August 29, 2026

Last update for Independence, KS: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,391 in New York, NY and $1,567 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: $150 in New York, NY vs $76.0 in Independence, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $512 vs $391 per month, with Independence, KS 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 Independence, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Independence, KS wins on cost – living expenses run 145% 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: $4,391 in New York, NY versus $1,567 in Independence, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,313 in New York, NY versus $1,420 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 $76.0 versus $150 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 $1,988 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 145% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.