Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wheaton, IL: $2,771 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $25,600 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
133

Cost of Living Index in Wheaton, IL
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Wheaton, IL Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,771

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Wheaton, IL

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 Wheaton, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $2,771 in Wheaton, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $4,906
Wheaton, IL $2,771

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $4,053 in Wheaton, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Wheaton, IL $4,053

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $5,335 in Wheaton, IL, rent included.

New York, NY $9,641
Wheaton, IL $5,335

New York, NY costs about 77% more than Wheaton, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Wheaton, IL sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Wheaton, IL by 105%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.93 $26.93

$15.87 $15.87

69.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 $117

$69.9 $69.9

66.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.60 $14.60

$11.93 $11.93

22.38%

Cappuccino

$6.54 $6.54

$5.75 $5.75

13.74%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$2.94 $2.94

31.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.35 $2.35

25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 $8.08

$6.66 $6.66

21.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.87 $7.87

25.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$0.95 $0.95

37.89%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.80 $2.80

77.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$2.98 $2.98

158.39%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$3.67 $3.67

65.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$10.54 $10.54

85.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.59 $17.59

$10.81 $10.81

62.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.26 $20.26

$19.74 $19.74

2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$5.09 $5.09

37.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.73 $1.73

27.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$3.41 $3.41

97.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.53 $4.53

57.17%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.97 $1.97

134.01%

Onion (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.94 $2.94

62.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.97 $1.97

45.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.28 $2.28

17.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.14 $19.14

$8.71 $8.71

119.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 $19.63

$12.11 $12.11

62.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.25 $2.25

47.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.71 $2.71

54.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$4.97 $4.97

-39.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$100 $100

39.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.94 $3.94

-22.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.79 $0.79

178.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$44.34 $44.34

-6.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.10 $1.10

2.73%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$22.7K $22.7K

52.11%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

2.22%

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

$232 $232

$176 $176

32.05%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$46.90 $46.90

51.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$71.4 $71.4

-5.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$35.68 $35.68

223.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$22.41 $22.41

$11.94 $11.94

87.69%

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

$3,606 $3,606

$1,597 $1,597

125.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$68.7K $68.7K

$21.7K $21.7K

216.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 $79.3

$57.8 $57.8

37.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$34.83 $34.83

47.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$89.6 $89.6

35.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$102 $102

38.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,555 $4,555

$1,989 $1,989

129.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,040 $3,040

$1,491 $1,491

103.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,742 $9,742

$2,806 $2,806

247.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,331 $5,331

$2,523 $2,523

111.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,685 $6,685

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,096 $5,096

$5,433 $5,433

-6.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.81

1.17%

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 Wheaton, IL: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3K 62%

Wheaton, IL

$1.5K 53.8% 51% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$567 11.6%

Wheaton, IL

$369 13.3% 34.9% $198

Eating Out

New York, NY

$425 8.7%

Wheaton, IL

$302 10.9% 29% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$371 7.6%

Wheaton, IL

$294 10.6% 20.7% $77

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$176 3.6%

Wheaton, IL

$128 4.6% 27.6% $49

Getting Around

New York, NY

$165 3.4%

Wheaton, IL

$128 4.6% 22.7% $38

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$160 3.3%

Wheaton, IL

$60 2.2% 62.8% $101

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,555 in New York, NY versus $1,989 in Wheaton, IL. 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 7% higher in Wheaton, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $117 in New York, NY versus $70 in Wheaton, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $369 – making Wheaton, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Wheaton, IL

🕒 Local time

06:15 6:15 AM

05:15 5:15 AM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

54,611

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Wheaton, IL 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Wheaton, IL

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 Wheaton, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 77% more than Wheaton, IL, 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 $4,157 in Wheaton, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wheaton, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,989 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,606 per month in New York, NY and $1,597 in Wheaton, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,906 in New York, NY and $2,771 in Wheaton, IL. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Wheaton, IL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 44% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.