Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and McKinney, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and McKinney, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,415 in New York, NY versus $2,598 in McKinney, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,980 in New York, NY versus $3,633 in McKinney, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,544 in New York, NY versus $4,669 in McKinney, TX.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 70% more expensive than in McKinney, TX, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 230% above, McKinney, TX 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.48 $29.48

$17.32 $17.32

70.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$73.7 $73.7

93.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 $12.41

$8.96 $8.96

38.50%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$5.37 $5.37

13.22%

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

$3.33 $3.33

$2.62 $2.62

27.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.91 $1.91

41.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$6.10 $6.10

33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$8.09 $8.09

48.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.04 $1.04

55.77%

White Bread (500g)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.85 $2.85

78.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.12 $8.12

$4.07 $4.07

99.51%

Eggs

$6.87 $6.87

$5.11 $5.11

34.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 $17.61

$11.66 $11.66

51.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$14.06 $14.06

16.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.81 $19.81

$16.50 $16.50

20.06%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$4.61 $4.61

66.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.60 $1.60

58.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$4.28 $4.28

31.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.40 $4.40

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.58 $3.58

7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.19 $2.19

87.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.05 $2.05

50.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.93 $2.93

-15.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.83 $18.83

$9.48 $9.48

98.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 $19.67

$11.71 $11.71

67.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.92 $1.92

55.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.97 $2.97

26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.03 $2.03

44.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$133 $133

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.81 $2.81

79.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.23 $1.23

78.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.75 $42.75

$29.46 $29.46

45.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.76 $0.76

27.63%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$30.2K $30.2K

15.94%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$26.0K $26.0K

8.66%

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

$182 $182

$188 $188

-3.40%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$60.2 $60.2

0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 $63.5

$79.1 $79.1

-19.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$35.16 $35.16

305.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.6 $63.6

Cinema Ticket

$19.89 $19.89

$14.70 $14.70

35.31%

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

$3,129 $3,129

$1,308 $1,308

139.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$58.2K $58.2K

$23.1K $23.1K

152.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$53.0 $53.0

27.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.20 $47.20

$28.28 $28.28

66.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$102 $102

10.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 $174

$109 $109

60.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,145 $4,145

$1,669 $1,669

148.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,413 $1,413

90.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,255 $8,255

$3,311 $3,311

149.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,298 $5,298

$1,931 $1,931

174.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K $18.5K

$2,340 $2,340

692.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,505 $6,505

$2,290 $2,290

184.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,520 $5,520

$5,825 $5,825

-5.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.49

-0.77%

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

Last update for New York, NY: July 13, 2026

Last update for McKinney, TX: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,145 in New York, NY and $1,669 in McKinney, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

McKinney, TX pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $143 in New York, NY vs $74.0 in McKinney, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $553 vs $400 per month, with McKinney, TX 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 McKinney, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and McKinney, TX differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($4,415 vs $2,598 including rent). McKinney, TX is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in McKinney, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,145 in New York, NY versus $1,669 in McKinney, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,129 in New York, NY versus $1,308 in McKinney, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in McKinney, TX – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $143 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. McKinney, TX is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find McKinney, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.