Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sioux City, IA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Sioux City, IA: $2,168 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $33,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sioux City, IA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,168
/mo nomad
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,950
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sioux City, IA and in New York, NY

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

A single person spends $2,168 per month in Sioux City, IA vs $4,950 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Sioux City, IA $2,168
  • New York, NY $4,950

A couple spends around $3,305 per month in Sioux City, IA vs $7,265 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Sioux City, IA $3,305
  • New York, NY $7,265

A family of three spends $4,442 per month in Sioux City, IA vs $9,581 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Sioux City, IA $4,442
  • New York, NY $9,581

Sioux City, IA is about 56% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sioux City, IA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Sioux City, IA by 61%, New York, NY by 267%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.33 $20.33
$24.65 $24.65
-17.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.0 $56.0
$122 $122
-53.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 $10.65
$13.91 $13.91
-23.44%
Cappuccino
$6.14 $6.14
$6.59 $6.59
-6.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$3.84 $3.84
-45.05%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.87 $2.87
-38.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.07 $5.07
$7.79 $7.79
-34.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.61 $5.61
$9.85 $9.85
-43.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.38 $1.38
-36.96%
White Bread (500g)
$2.92 $2.92
$4.68 $4.68
-37.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.38 $3.38
$7.54 $7.54
-55.17%
Eggs
$3.60 $3.60
$5.93 $5.93
-39.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.92 $7.92
$18.83 $18.83
-57.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.58 $7.58
$17.36 $17.36
-56.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.77 $16.77
$18.51 $18.51
-9.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.74 $4.74
$6.74 $6.74
-29.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 $1.52
$2.09 $2.09
-27.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.02 $4.02
$6.07 $6.07
-33.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.96 $3.96
$6.74 $6.74
-41.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 $1.99
$4.05 $4.05
-50.86%
Onion (1kg)
$4.87 $4.87
$4.37 $4.37
11.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.38 $2.38
$2.89 $2.89
-17.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 $2.13
$2.60 $2.60
-18.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.94 $8.94
$18.72 $18.72
-52.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.12 $15.12
$20.06 $20.06
-24.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 $1.70
$3.25 $3.25
-47.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 $3.08
$3.73 $3.73
-17.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 $1.77
$3.06 $3.06
-42.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.88 $47.88
$140 $140
-65.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.97 $1.97
$3.04 $3.04
-35.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 $1.20
$2.15 $2.15
-44.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.61 $19.61
$41.82 $41.82
-53.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.91 $0.91
$1.12 $1.12
-18.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K $35.4K
$35.5K $35.5K
-0.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K $25.0K
$26.0K $26.0K
-3.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 $167
$219 $219
-23.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.4 $52.4
$73.2 $73.2
-28.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.0 $69.0
$72.0 $72.0
-4.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.8 $98.8
$123 $123
-19.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.08 $20.08
$67.7 $67.7
-70.33%
Cinema Ticket
$15.05 $15.05
$22.85 $22.85
-34.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,098 $1,098
$3,333 $3,333
-67.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K $12.0K
$60.0K $60.0K
-80.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.40 $43.40
$75.2 $75.2
-42.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.73 $21.73
$52.4 $52.4
-58.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.2 $77.2
$122 $122
-36.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 $89.3
$133 $133
-32.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$923 $923
$4,389 $4,389
-78.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$922 $922
$3,130 $3,130
-70.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,481 $1,481
$8,918 $8,918
-83.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,743 $1,743
$5,354 $5,354
-67.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,546 $1,546
$19.4K $19.4K
-92.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,546 $1,546
$6,806 $6,806
-77.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,592 $3,592
$5,343 $5,343
-32.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
6.82
-3.67%

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

Last update for Sioux City, IA: October 10, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sioux City, IA
$922
New York, NY
$3.1K 240% $2.2K
Groceries & Markets
Sioux City, IA
$342
New York, NY
$545 59.3% $203
Eating Out
Sioux City, IA
$320
New York, NY
$404 26% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sioux City, IA
$288
New York, NY
$364 26.5% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Sioux City, IA
$129
New York, NY
$168 30.6% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Sioux City, IA
$104
New York, NY
$172 65.1% $68
Getting Around
Sioux City, IA
$63
New York, NY
$167 165% $104

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $923 in Sioux City, IA versus $4,389 in New York, NY. 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 49% 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 $56.0 in Sioux City, IA versus $122 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $342 vs $545 – making Sioux City, IA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Sioux City, IA
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🕒 Local time
10:25 10:25 AM
11:25 11:25 AM
1 h ahead of Sioux City, IA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
85,797
8,804,190
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sioux City, IA New York, NY 1,850 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Sioux City, IA
  • New York, NY

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
Sioux City, IA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sioux City, IA or New York, NY?
New York, NY costs about 128% more than Sioux City, IA, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Sioux City, IA and in New York, NY?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,252 per month in Sioux City, IA and $7,424 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Sioux City, IA or New York, NY?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sioux City, IA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Sioux City, IA and in New York, NY?
Kindergarten costs $1,098 per month in Sioux City, IA and $3,333 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Sioux City, IA or in New York, NY?
Groceries cost about 59% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Sioux City, IA or in New York, NY?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sioux City, IA, where all-in costs run around $2,168, than in New York, NY at $4,950. In Sioux City, IA it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Sioux City, IA or New York, NY?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sioux City, IA costs $2,168 versus $4,950 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Sioux City, IA or to New York, NY?
If budget matters most, go with Sioux City, IA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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