Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Williston, ND

For one person, living is cheaper in Williston, ND: $2,269 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $31,600 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
108

Cost of Living Index in Williston, ND
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Williston, ND Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Williston, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,269

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Williston, ND

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 Williston, ND actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $2,269 in Williston, ND, rent included.

New York, NY $4,906
Williston, ND $2,269

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $3,718 in Williston, ND, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Williston, ND $3,718

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $5,166 in Williston, ND, rent included.

New York, NY $9,641
Williston, ND $5,166

New York, NY costs about 116% more than Williston, ND, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Williston, ND sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Williston, ND by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.93 $26.93

$20.07 $20.07

34.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 $117

$75.9 $75.9

53.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.60 $14.60

$11.36 $11.36

28.52%

Cappuccino

$6.54 $6.54

$5.23 $5.23

25.05%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$2.75 $2.75

40.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.01 $2.01

46.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 $8.08

$5.39 $5.39

49.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$6.83 $6.83

44.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$0.96 $0.96

36.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.04 $2.04

143.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$4.10 $4.10

87.80%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$4.12 $4.12

47.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$30.04 $30.04

-34.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.59 $17.59

$12.64 $12.64

39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.26 $20.26

$13.94 $13.94

45.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$5.18 $5.18

34.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.85 $1.85

19.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$4.24 $4.24

58.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.70 $4.70

51.49%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.86 $2.86

61.19%

Onion (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.96 $2.96

61.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.11 $2.11

36.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.20 $2.20

22.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.14 $19.14

$10.15 $10.15

88.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 $19.63

$15.37 $15.37

27.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.91 $1.91

73.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.72 $3.72

12.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.83 $1.83

65.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$68.8 $68.8

102.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.00 $3.00

1.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.52 $1.52

44.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$32.58 $32.58

26.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.06 $1.06

6.60%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$24.2K $24.2K

42.46%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$24.8K $24.8K

4.10%

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

$232 $232

$197 $197

17.79%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$58.7 $58.7

21.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$74.5 $74.5

-9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$41.64 $41.64

177.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$22.41 $22.41

$13.64 $13.64

64.30%

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

$3,606 $3,606

$1,360 $1,360

165.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$68.7K $68.7K

$20.1K $20.1K

242.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 $79.3

$53.5 $53.5

48.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$40.89 $40.89

25.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$95.6 $95.6

26.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$103 $103

35.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,555 $4,555

$997 $997

356.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,040 $3,040

$901 $901

237.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,742 $9,742

$2,057 $2,057

373.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,331 $5,331

$2,154 $2,154

147.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$2,237 $2,237

714.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,685 $6,685

$2,273 $2,273

194.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,096 $5,096

$5,795 $5,795

-12.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.59

4.55%

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 Williston, ND: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3K 62%

Williston, ND

$901 39.7% 70.3% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$567 11.6%

Williston, ND

$433 19.1% 23.8% $135

Eating Out

New York, NY

$425 8.7%

Williston, ND

$317 14% 25.4% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$371 7.6%

Williston, ND

$330 14.6% 10.9% $41

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$176 3.6%

Williston, ND

$132 5.8% 25.2% $44

Getting Around

New York, NY

$165 3.4%

Williston, ND

$87 3.8% 47.6% $79

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$160 3.3%

Williston, ND

$69 3% 57% $91

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,555 in New York, NY versus $997 in Williston, ND. 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 14% higher in Williston, ND, 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 $76 in Williston, ND. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $433 – making Williston, ND the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Williston, ND

🕒 Local time

10:48 10:48 AM

09:48 9:48 AM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

30,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Williston, ND 2,470 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Williston, ND

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 Williston, ND: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 116% more than Williston, ND, 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 $3,403 in Williston, ND. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Williston, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $997 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,606 per month in New York, NY and $1,360 in Williston, ND. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Williston, ND, where all-in costs run around $2,269, than in New York, NY at $4,906. In Williston, ND it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

For expats, Williston, ND is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 54% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.