Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Thornton, CO and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Thornton, CO: $2,887 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $24,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Thornton, CO
Learn more

Thornton, CO Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
Learn more

New York, NY Living Index

Jump to prices

Thornton, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,887

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Thornton, CO 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 Thornton, CO and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,887 per month in Thornton, CO vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Thornton, CO $2,887
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $3,977 per month in Thornton, CO vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Thornton, CO $3,977
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,068 per month in Thornton, CO vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Thornton, CO $5,068
New York, NY $9,509

Thornton, CO is about 42% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Thornton, CO and New York, NY sit above the global median – Thornton, CO by 112%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$28.55 $28.55

-29.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 $84.0

$118 $118

-29.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$15.04 $15.04

-13.36%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$6.53 $6.53

-9.65%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$3.96 $3.96

-24.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.01 $3.01

-24.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 $7.12

$8.16 $8.16

-12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$9.84 $9.84

-18.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.37 $1.37

-21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 $3.24

$4.97 $4.97

-34.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$7.81 $7.81

-45.07%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$5.97 $5.97

-14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 $14.77

$18.91 $18.91

-21.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 $13.72

$18.04 $18.04

-23.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.16 $19.16

$19.05 $19.05

0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$6.76 $6.76

-22.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.27 $2.27

-4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$6.83 $6.83

-34.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$7.09 $7.09

-34.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$4.22 $4.22

-37.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$4.65 $4.65

-46.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.87 $2.87

-16.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.60 $2.60

-6.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.20 $10.20

$18.77 $18.77

-45.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 $19.18

$20.13 $20.13

-4.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.45 $3.45

-19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 $4.76

$4.02 $4.02

18.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.08 $3.08

10.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.12 $2.12

-34.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.76 $24.76

$41.96 $41.96

-40.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.17 $1.17

-11.97%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$34.5K $34.5K

-17.25%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.20%

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

$165 $165

$219 $219

-24.86%

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

$77.5 $77.5

$74.2 $74.2

4.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.6 $86.6

$70.2 $70.2

23.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 $55.7

$112 $112

-50.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.96 $9.96

$74.9 $74.9

-86.70%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$22.14 $22.14

-32.16%

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

$1,579 $1,579

$3,558 $3,558

-55.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$62.2K $62.2K

-60.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 $58.3

$75.6 $75.6

-22.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.21 $39.21

$51.2 $51.2

-23.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 $83.1

$123 $123

-32.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$140 $140

-11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 $1,743

$4,499 $4,499

-61.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$3,078 $3,078

-50.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,628 $2,628

$9,447 $9,447

-72.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 $2,029

$5,190 $5,190

-60.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,576 $5,576

$5,220 $5,220

6.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.86

-2.04%

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

Last update for Thornton, CO: October 25, 2026

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

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Thornton, CO

$1.5K 53.2%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 101% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Thornton, CO

$445 15.4%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 26.5% $118

Eating Out

Thornton, CO

$344 11.9%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 27.8% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Thornton, CO

$329 11.4%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 10.6% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Thornton, CO

$137 4.8%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 27.9% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Thornton, CO

$86 3%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 82.3% $71

Getting Around

Thornton, CO

$10 * 0.4%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 1487% $154

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,743 in Thornton, CO versus $4,499 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 7% higher in Thornton, CO, 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 $84 in Thornton, CO versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $563 – making Thornton, CO the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Thornton, CO

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

14:50 2:50 PM

16:50 4:50 PM

2 h ahead of Thornton, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

139,478

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Thornton, CO New York, NY 2,600 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Thornton, CO
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

Thornton, CO vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 71% more than Thornton, CO, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,330 per month in Thornton, CO and $7,412 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thornton, CO, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,743 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,887 in Thornton, CO and $4,941 in New York, NY. That makes Thornton, CO about 42% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,579 per month in Thornton, CO and $3,558 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,887 in Thornton, CO and $4,941 in New York, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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