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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,503 in New York, NY versus $2,420 in Mundelein, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,077 in New York, NY versus $3,586 in Mundelein, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,650 in New York, NY versus $4,753 in Mundelein, IL.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 86% more expensive than Mundelein, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 236% above, Mundelein, IL 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.28 $30.28

$14.91 $14.91

103.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$53.1 $53.1

168.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 $12.65

$7.63 $7.63

65.79%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$5.22 $5.22

11.30%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$2.64 $2.64

23.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.34 $2.34

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 $8.19

$6.01 $6.01

36.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.82 $11.82

$6.95 $6.95

70.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.81 $0.81

88.89%

White Bread (500g)

$5.27 $5.27

$3.86 $3.86

36.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.34 $8.34

$2.17 $2.17

284.33%

Eggs

$7.25 $7.25

$4.02 $4.02

80.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 $17.29

$13.89 $13.89

24.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.21 $16.21

$13.45 $13.45

20.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.82 $19.82

$16.19 $16.19

22.42%

Apples (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$4.43 $4.43

70.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.47 $1.47

64.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$5.75 $5.75

1.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.60 $4.60

38.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.73 $2.73

41.76%

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.87 $2.87

41.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.03 $2.03

53.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.04 $2.04

20.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.26 $19.26

$9.81 $9.81

96.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.96 $19.96

$15.78 $15.78

26.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.37 $2.37

26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$4.67 $4.67

-20.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.97 $1.97

44.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$134 $134

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.63 $4.63

10.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.19 $2.19

-3.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.31 $42.31

$42.35 $42.35

-0.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.83 $0.83

16.87%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$25.1K $25.1K

38.18%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

8.96%

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

$181 $181

$182 $182

-0.18%

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

$60.2 $60.2

$51.2 $51.2

17.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$45.65 $45.65

36.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$43.22 $43.22

231.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.3 $65.3

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$15.11 $15.11

32.23%

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

$3,216 $3,216

$1,649 $1,649

95.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$57.2K $57.2K

$25.0K $25.0K

128.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$67.1 $67.1

0.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.68 $47.68

$49.19 $49.19

-3.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$102 $102

9.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 $169

$133 $133

27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,092 $4,092

$1,490 $1,490

174.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 $2,694

$1,207 $1,207

123.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,445 $8,445

$2,306 $2,306

266.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,128 $5,128

$2,115 $2,115

142.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$2,825 $2,825

543.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,299 $6,299

$2,557 $2,557

146.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,540 $5,540

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.55

-1.68%

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

Last update for New York, NY: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mundelein, IL: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,092 in New York, NY and $1,490 in Mundelein, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $142 in New York, NY vs $53.0 in Mundelein, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $405 per month, with Mundelein, 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 Mundelein, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mundelein, IL is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $6,754 in New York, NY and $3,630 in Mundelein, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,092 in New York, NY versus $1,490 in Mundelein, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,216 in New York, NY versus $1,649 in Mundelein, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mundelein, IL – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $142 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Mundelein, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Mundelein, IL 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 Mundelein, 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 Mundelein, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.