Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Saint Joseph, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Joseph, MO: $2,526 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $28,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

234

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Saint Joseph, MO
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Saint Joseph, MO Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Saint Joseph, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Saint Joseph, MO

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in New York, NY and in Saint Joseph, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $2,526 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent included.

New York, NY $4,906
Saint Joseph, MO $2,526

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $3,681 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Saint Joseph, MO $3,681

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $4,836 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent included.

New York, NY $9,641
Saint Joseph, MO $4,836

New York, NY costs about 94% more than Saint Joseph, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Saint Joseph, MO sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Saint Joseph, MO by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.93 $26.93

$20.12 $20.12

33.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 $117

$49.48 $49.48

136.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.60 $14.60

$10.81 $10.81

35.06%

Cappuccino

$6.54 $6.54

$5.00 $5.00

30.80%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$2.03 $2.03

90.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.14 $1.14

158.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 $8.08

$4.89 $4.89

65.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.87 $7.87

25.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$0.89 $0.89

47.19%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.26 $3.26

52.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$6.27 $6.27

22.81%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$4.67 $4.67

30.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$11.38 $11.38

71.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.59 $17.59

$8.37 $8.37

110.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.26 $20.26

$15.10 $15.10

34.17%

Apples (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$6.64 $6.64

5.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.10 $2.10

5.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$5.84 $5.84

15.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.20 $4.20

69.52%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.39 $3.39

35.99%

Onion (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$3.70 $3.70

29.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.88 $1.88

52.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.56 $2.56

5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.14 $19.14

$8.87 $8.87

115.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 $19.63

$17.28 $17.28

13.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.79 $1.79

85.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.57 $2.57

63.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.74 $1.74

73.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$67.3 $67.3

107.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.90 $4.90

-37.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.81 $1.81

21.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$35.06 $35.06

17.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.08 $1.08

4.63%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.3K $27.3K

26.08%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

-0.72%

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

$232 $232

$147 $147

58.18%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$47.66 $47.66

49.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$66.6 $66.6

1.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$35.95 $35.95

220.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$22.41 $22.41

$14.85 $14.85

50.91%

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

$3,606 $3,606

$821 $821

338.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$68.7K $68.7K

$9,129 $9,129

652.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 $79.3

$47.88 $47.88

65.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$34.87 $34.87

47.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$90.1 $90.1

34.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$116 $116

20.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,555 $4,555

$1,594 $1,594

185.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,040 $3,040

$1,274 $1,274

138.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,742 $9,742

$2,535 $2,535

284.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,331 $5,331

$2,138 $2,138

149.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$1,566 $1,566

1064.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,685 $6,685

$1,537 $1,537

335.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,096 $5,096

$2,808 $2,808

81.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.37

8.16%

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

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

Last update for Saint Joseph, MO: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3K 62%

Saint Joseph, MO

$1.3K 50.4% 58.1% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$567 11.6%

Saint Joseph, MO

$401 15.9% 29.3% $166

Eating Out

New York, NY

$425 8.7%

Saint Joseph, MO

$306 12.1% 28% $119

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$371 7.6%

Saint Joseph, MO

$261 10.3% 29.6% $110

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$176 3.6%

Saint Joseph, MO

$130 5.2% 26.3% $46

Getting Around

New York, NY

$165 3.4%

Saint Joseph, MO

$88 3.5% 46.7% $77

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$160 3.3%

Saint Joseph, MO

$66 2.6% 59% $95

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,555 in New York, NY versus $1,594 in Saint Joseph, MO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 81% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $117 in New York, NY versus $49 in Saint Joseph, MO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $401 – making Saint Joseph, MO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Saint Joseph, MO

🕒 Local time

05:29 5:29 AM

04:29 4:29 AM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

76,780

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Saint Joseph, MO 1,750 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Saint Joseph, MO

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Saint Joseph, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 94% more than Saint Joseph, MO, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,358 per month in New York, NY and $3,790 in Saint Joseph, MO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Joseph, MO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,594 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,606 per month in New York, NY and $821 in Saint Joseph, MO. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,906 in New York, NY and $2,526 in Saint Joseph, MO. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Joseph, MO – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Joseph, MO. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.