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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,841 in New York, NY versus $2,189 in Manhattan, KS.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,287 in New York, NY versus $3,245 in Manhattan, KS.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,734 in New York, NY versus $4,302 in Manhattan, KS.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 121% more expensive than in Manhattan, KS, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 254% above, Manhattan, KS 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 $25.33

$14.94 $14.94

69.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$79.4 $79.4

79.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$11.84 $11.84

16.39%

Cappuccino

$6.19 $6.19

$5.41 $5.41

14.42%

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

$3.69 $3.69

$1.98 $1.98

86.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.52 $1.52

94.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$5.12 $5.12

51.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$7.33 $7.33

38.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.76 $0.76

82.89%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.19 $3.19

43.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$6.05 $6.05

14.71%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$4.69 $4.69

23.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 $17.32

$11.69 $11.69

48.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.04 $15.04

$9.14 $9.14

64.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.02 $18.02

$14.78 $14.78

21.92%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$6.63 $6.63

-5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.27 $2.27

-6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$6.11 $6.11

-5.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$4.22 $4.22

48.82%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.19 $3.19

6.27%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.66 $3.66

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.90 $1.90

45.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.54 $2.54

0.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 $18.70

$9.89 $9.89

89.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.30 $20.30

$17.16 $17.16

18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.74 $1.74

81.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.47 $2.47

63.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$60.7 $60.7

128.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$5.06 $5.06

-38.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.82 $1.82

17.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.56 $41.56

$34.67 $34.67

19.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.85 $0.85

32.94%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$35.6K $35.6K

-0.60%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

-0.30%

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

$236 $236

$121 $121

94.54%

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

$73.7 $73.7

$51.6 $51.6

42.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$65.4 $65.4

10.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$74.9 $74.9

67.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.1 $63.1

Cinema Ticket

$23.37 $23.37

$15.21 $15.21

53.65%

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

$3,353 $3,353

$831 $831

303.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.0K $61.0K

$11.6K $11.6K

423.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$51.9 $51.9

39.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 $52.2

$34.33 $34.33

51.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$92.1 $92.1

26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$132 $132

-6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,438 $4,438

$917 $917

383.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,045 $3,045

$999 $999

204.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,088 $9,088

$1,480 $1,480

514.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,404 $5,404

$1,405 $1,405

284.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K $18.8K

$1,388 $1,388

1254.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,500 $6,500

$1,412 $1,412

360.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,258 $5,258

$3,438 $3,438

52.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.03

7.63%

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

Last update for New York, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Manhattan, KS: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,438 in New York, NY and $917 in Manhattan, KS. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 53% 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: $142 in New York, NY vs $79.0 in Manhattan, KS for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $516 vs $403 per month, with Manhattan, 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 Manhattan, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manhattan, KS is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 53% 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: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $917 in Manhattan, KS. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,353 in New York, NY versus $831 in Manhattan, KS. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,189 in Manhattan, KS versus $4,841 in New York, NY, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Manhattan, KS but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Manhattan, KS the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Manhattan, KS is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in New York, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Manhattan, KS 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 Manhattan, KS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.