Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Topeka, KS: $1,912 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $36,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Topeka, KS
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Topeka, KS Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Topeka, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,912

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Topeka, KS

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 Topeka, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $1,912 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

New York, NY $4,941
Topeka, KS $1,912

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $2,889 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

New York, NY $7,225
Topeka, KS $2,889

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $3,867 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

New York, NY $9,509
Topeka, KS $3,867

New York, NY costs about 158% more than Topeka, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Topeka, KS sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Topeka, KS by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$13.68 $13.68

108.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$51.0 $51.0

132.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$10.09 $10.09

49.06%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$3.59 $3.59

81.89%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.37 $2.37

67.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.71 $1.71

76.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$4.57 $4.57

78.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$9.15 $9.15

7.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.86 $0.86

59.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.74 $2.74

81.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$2.89 $2.89

170.24%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$3.95 $3.95

51.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$8.77 $8.77

115.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$8.70 $8.70

107.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$15.10 $15.10

26.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.73 $4.73

42.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.65 $1.65

37.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$5.20 $5.20

31.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.11 $4.11

72.51%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.54 $3.54

19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.58 $2.58

80.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.82 $1.82

57.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$0.79 $0.79

229.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$8.83 $8.83

112.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$12.03 $12.03

67.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.81 $1.81

90.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.71 $1.71

135.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.02 $2.02

44.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$49.63 $49.63

179.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.70 $2.70

14.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.59 $1.59

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$33.59 $33.59

24.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.88 $0.88

32.95%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$25.7K $25.7K

34.33%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.99%

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

$219 $219

$142 $142

54.15%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$46.56 $46.56

59.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$64.7 $64.7

8.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$37.70 $37.70

196.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

$15.07 $15.07

396.75%

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$13.74 $13.74

61.14%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$439 $439

710.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$39.15 $39.15

93.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$28.48 $28.48

79.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$90.3 $90.3

36.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$79.6 $79.6

75.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$699 $699

543.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$855 $855

260.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$1,210 $1,210

680.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$1,556 $1,556

233.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$1,600 $1,600

1031.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$1,293 $1,293

417.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$3,678 $3,678

41.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.24

9.94%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Topeka, KS

$855 44.7% 72.2% $2.2K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Topeka, KS

$323 16.9% 42.7% $240

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Topeka, KS

$240 12.6% 45.4% $200

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Topeka, KS

$254 13.3% 30.3% $110

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Topeka, KS

$107 5.6% 39.1% $69

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Topeka, KS

$68 3.6% 58.4% $96

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Topeka, KS

$65 3.4% 58.3% $91

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $699 in Topeka, KS. 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 42% 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 $118 in New York, NY versus $51 in Topeka, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $323 – making Topeka, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Topeka, KS

🕒 Local time

23:08 11:08 PM

22:08 10:08 PM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

124,331

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New York, NY Topeka, KS 1,840 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Topeka, KS

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 Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 158% more than Topeka, KS, 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 $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $2,868 in Topeka, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Topeka, KS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $699 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $439 in Topeka, KS. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Topeka, KS, where all-in costs run around $1,912, than in New York, NY at $4,941. In Topeka, KS it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Topeka, KS – 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 Topeka, KS. 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.