Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Libertyville, IL: $2,530 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $28,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,938
/mo nomad
Libertyville, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,530
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Libertyville, 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 Libertyville, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,938 in New York, NY versus $2,530 in Libertyville, IL.

  • New York, NY $4,938
  • Libertyville, IL $2,530

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,273 in New York, NY versus $3,759 in Libertyville, IL.

  • New York, NY $7,273
  • Libertyville, IL $3,759

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,608 in New York, NY versus $4,987 in Libertyville, IL.

  • New York, NY $9,608
  • Libertyville, IL $4,987

Living in New York, NY is roughly 95% more expensive than in Libertyville, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 264% above, Libertyville, IL 87% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.99 $24.99
$15.12 $15.12
65.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120 $120
$55.2 $55.2
118.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.74 $13.74
$10.12 $10.12
35.77%
Cappuccino
$6.60 $6.60
$4.45 $4.45
48.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$2.27 $2.27
68.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.31 $2.31
24.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.95 $7.95
$4.39 $4.39
81.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.06 $10.06
$6.09 $6.09
65.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 $1.37
$0.77 $0.77
77.92%
White Bread (500g)
$4.75 $4.75
$3.08 $3.08
54.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.69 $7.69
$4.50 $4.50
70.89%
Eggs
$5.87 $5.87
$4.82 $4.82
21.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.25 $19.25
$11.30 $11.30
70.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.83 $17.83
$9.58 $9.58
86.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.03 $19.03
$21.81 $21.81
-12.75%
Apples (1kg)
$6.69 $6.69
$6.03 $6.03
10.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 $2.29
$1.13 $1.13
102.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.41 $6.41
$4.55 $4.55
40.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.75 $6.75
$5.76 $5.76
17.19%
Potato (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$3.62 $3.62
8.56%
Onion (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$4.26 $4.26
6.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.79 $2.79
$2.34 $2.34
19.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$1.28 $1.28
96.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.10 $18.10
$11.33 $11.33
59.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.16 $20.16
$12.13 $12.13
66.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.05 $2.05
59.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 $3.75
$3.48 $3.48
7.76%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
Libertyville, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.74 $1.74
67.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$143 $143
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 $3.06
$5.05 $5.05
-39.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.84 $1.84
17.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.33 $41.33
$49.63 $49.63
-16.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$0.96 $0.96
16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K $33.1K
$27.0K $27.0K
22.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$26.4K $26.4K
-2.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$234 $234
-6.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$75.3 $75.3
$51.7 $51.7
45.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.5 $70.5
$59.2 $59.2
19.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$116 $116
$37.44 $37.44
208.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$67.6 $67.6
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$21.37 $21.37
$15.10 $15.10
41.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,432 $3,432
$1,323 $1,323
159.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$61.7K $61.7K
$19.9K $19.9K
209.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.9 $74.9
$52.3 $52.3
43.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.1 $52.1
$40.16 $40.16
29.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 $117
$110 $110
5.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 $135
$95.3 $95.3
41.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
Libertyville, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,347 $4,347
$1,412 $1,412
207.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,117 $3,117
$1,312 $1,312
137.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$9,110 $9,110
$2,278 $2,278
299.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,379 $5,379
$2,401 $2,401
124.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$19.3K $19.3K
$2,754 $2,754
600.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,943 $6,943
$2,395 $2,395
189.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
Libertyville, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,238 $5,238
$4,437 $4,437
18.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.85
6.53
4.90%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Last update for Libertyville, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3.1K
Libertyville, IL
$1.3K 57.9% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$552
Libertyville, IL
$392 29% $160
Eating Out
New York, NY
$407
Libertyville, IL
$257 36.8% $150
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$365
Libertyville, IL
$345 5.4% $20
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$170
Libertyville, IL
$134 21.3% $36
Getting Around
New York, NY
$168
Libertyville, IL
$21 * 87.4% $147
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$158
Libertyville, IL
$68 57.3% $91

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 $4,347 in New York, NY and $1,412 in Libertyville, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 18% 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: $120 in New York, NY vs $55.0 in Libertyville, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $552 vs $392 per month, with Libertyville, IL cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇺🇸 Libertyville, IL
🕒 Local time
22:04 10:04 PM
21:04 9:04 PM
1 h behind New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
20,500
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY Libertyville, IL 1,160 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • Libertyville, 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 Libertyville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, New York, NY or Libertyville, IL?
Libertyville, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 95% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Libertyville, IL the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in New York, NY or in Libertyville, IL?
Average pay runs 18% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in New York, NY compared to Libertyville, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $4,347 in New York, NY versus $1,412 in Libertyville, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in New York, NY or in Libertyville, IL?
Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in New York, NY compared to Libertyville, IL?
All in, you'll spend $4,938 per month in New York, NY versus $2,530 in Libertyville, IL – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in New York, NY or in Libertyville, IL?
At $2,530 in Libertyville, IL versus $4,938 in New York, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Libertyville, IL but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Libertyville, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, New York, NY or Libertyville, IL?
Both work as nomad bases, but Libertyville, IL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,530 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Libertyville, IL hard to pass up.
How safe is New York, NY compared to Libertyville, IL?
Safety-wise, New York, NY and Libertyville, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Libertyville, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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