Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Lincoln, NE Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Lincoln, NE

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,557 in New York, NY versus $2,022 in Lincoln, NE.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,115 in New York, NY versus $3,170 in Lincoln, NE.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,674 in New York, NY versus $4,318 in Lincoln, NE.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 125% more expensive than Lincoln, NE, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 240% above, Lincoln, NE 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.90 $29.90

$15.14 $15.14

97.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$57.0 $57.0

150.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 $12.67

$12.05 $12.05

5.15%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.00 $5.00

15.60%

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

$3.40 $3.40

$2.12 $2.12

60.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.54 $1.54

74.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$4.92 $4.92

64.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 $11.86

$5.84 $5.84

103.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.83 $0.83

93.98%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.22 $3.22

59.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.17 $8.17

$5.52 $5.52

48.01%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$4.60 $4.60

55.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 $17.24

$10.78 $10.78

59.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.17 $16.17

$10.97 $10.97

47.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.46 $20.46

$14.26 $14.26

43.48%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 $7.33

$6.18 $6.18

18.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.02 $2.02

19.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$4.62 $4.62

24.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.66 $4.66

39.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$4.32 $4.32

-11.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.29 $3.29

20.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.89 $1.89

62.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.29 $2.29

7.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.03 $19.03

$9.97 $9.97

90.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$18.27 $18.27

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.80 $1.80

60.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.27 $3.27

14.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.77 $1.77

61.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$29.40 $29.40

341.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$6.60 $6.60

-24.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.87 $1.87

19.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.20 $42.20

$34.56 $34.56

22.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.77 $0.77

24.68%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$30.6K $30.6K

13.22%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$24.8K $24.8K

13.43%

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

$183 $183

$110 $110

66.16%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$50.4 $50.4

17.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$63.2 $63.2

0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$56.3 $56.3

149.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.9 $63.9

$26.35 $26.35

142.39%

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$14.90 $14.90

34.09%

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

$3,153 $3,153

$1,061 $1,061

197.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.3K $56.3K

$23.1K $23.1K

143.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 $67.7

$49.92 $49.92

35.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 $48.48

$34.96 $34.96

38.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$84.9 $84.9

35.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 $170

$92.6 $92.6

83.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,113 $4,113

$1,014 $1,014

305.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$841 $841

215.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,230 $8,230

$2,473 $2,473

232.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,113 $5,113

$1,712 $1,712

198.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$1,897 $1,897

919.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,754 $8,754

$1,883 $1,883

364.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,049 $5,049

$3,765 $3,765

34.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.54

-1.53%

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

Last update for New York, NY: April 25, 2026

Last update for Lincoln, NE: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,113 in New York, NY and $1,014 in Lincoln, NE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 34% 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: $143 in New York, NY vs $57.0 in Lincoln, NE for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $553 vs $402 per month, with Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lincoln, NE wins on cost – living expenses run 125% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lincoln, NE the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

New York, NY pays 34% 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: $4,113 in New York, NY versus $1,014 in Lincoln, NE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lincoln, NE – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $143 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,557 per month in New York, NY versus $2,022 in Lincoln, NE – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,022 in Lincoln, NE versus $4,557 in New York, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lincoln, NE but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Lincoln, NE the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lincoln, NE delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,022 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lincoln, NE hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.