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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $2,658 in Libertyville, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,016 in New York, NY versus $3,813 in Libertyville, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,593 in New York, NY versus $4,968 in Libertyville, IL.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 67% more expensive than Libertyville, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 231% above, Libertyville, IL 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.91 $29.91

$17.12 $17.12

74.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 $144

$60.1 $60.1

139.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.94 $9.94

23.94%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$4.22 $4.22

42.89%

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

$3.39 $3.39

$2.27 $2.27

49.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.20 $2.20

16.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 $8.20

$4.20 $4.20

95.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.95 $11.95

$6.17 $6.17

93.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.83 $0.83

85.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.04 $3.04

69.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$5.01 $5.01

68.26%

Eggs

$6.97 $6.97

$4.79 $4.79

45.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$16.62 $16.62

3.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 $16.24

$11.06 $11.06

46.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.95 $19.95

$19.91 $19.91

0.20%

Apples (1kg)

$7.45 $7.45

$5.35 $5.35

39.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.27 $1.27

90.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$5.62 $5.62

4.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$5.65 $5.65

11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.64 $3.64

2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.33 $4.33

-7.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.02 $2.02

57.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.52 $1.52

67.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.09 $19.09

$8.38 $8.38

127.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.24 $20.24

$12.20 $12.20

65.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.74 $1.74

71.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.67 $3.67

5.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.96 $1.96

50.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 $131

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$4.98 $4.98

3.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.21 $2.21

-0.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.64 $42.64

$50.5 $50.5

-15.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.90 $0.90

5.56%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$29.6K $29.6K

16.69%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$31.0K $31.0K

-9.05%

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

$182 $182

$243 $243

-25.07%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$57.0 $57.0

5.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 $61.9

$70.5 $70.5

-12.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$42.72 $42.72

227.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.4 $64.4

Cinema Ticket

$20.33 $20.33

$14.85 $14.85

36.90%

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

$3,222 $3,222

$954 $954

237.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.2K $56.2K

$23.8K $23.8K

135.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 $65.9

$52.0 $52.0

26.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.20 $47.20

$47.27 $47.27

-0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$96.2 $96.2

15.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$99.0 $99.0

75.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,208 $4,208

$1,584 $1,584

165.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$1,359 $1,359

94.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,415 $8,415

$2,652 $2,652

217.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,170 $5,170

$2,227 $2,227

132.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K $20.1K

$2,650 $2,650

658.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,742 $8,742

$2,329 $2,329

275.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,144 $5,144

$4,465 $4,465

15.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.61

-2.57%

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

Last update for New York, NY: April 20, 2026

Last update for Libertyville, IL: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,208 in New York, NY and $1,584 in Libertyville, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 15% 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: $144 in New York, NY vs $60 in Libertyville, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $414 per month, with Libertyville, IL 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 Libertyville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Libertyville, IL wins on cost – living expenses run 67% 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.

New York, NY pays 15% more on average, 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: $4,208 in New York, NY versus $1,584 in Libertyville, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $4,438 per month in New York, NY versus $2,658 in Libertyville, IL – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Libertyville, IL 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 Libertyville, IL delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,658 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Libertyville, IL hard to pass up.

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.

Expats usually find Libertyville, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.