Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Urbana, IL: $1,886 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $36,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Urbana, IL, United States
New York, NY, United States
Urbana, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$1,886
/mo nomad
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,906
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,886 per month in Urbana, IL vs $4,906 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Urbana, IL $1,886
  • New York, NY $4,906

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Urbana, IL vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Urbana, IL $2,137
  • New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $2,388 per month in Urbana, IL vs $9,641 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Urbana, IL $2,388
  • New York, NY $9,641

Urbana, IL is about 62% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Urbana, IL
New York, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.91 $14.91
$26.93 $26.93
-44.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.0 $60.0
$117 $117
-48.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.14 $10.14
$14.60 $14.60
-30.55%
Cappuccino
$4.80 $4.80
$6.54 $6.54
-26.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 $2.26
$3.86 $3.86
-41.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 $1.72
$2.95 $2.95
-41.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.58 $5.58
$8.08 $8.08
-30.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.37 $5.37
$9.85 $9.85
-45.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Urbana, IL
New York, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$1.31 $1.31
-35.11%
White Bread (500g)
$3.09 $3.09
$4.97 $4.97
-37.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.01 $3.01
$7.70 $7.70
-60.91%
Eggs
$3.80 $3.80
$6.09 $6.09
-37.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.97 $11.97
$19.55 $19.55
-38.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.62 $8.62
$17.59 $17.59
-50.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.23 $14.23
$20.26 $20.26
-29.76%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 $4.07
$6.99 $6.99
-41.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 $1.67
$2.21 $2.21
-24.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$6.72 $6.72
-51.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.56 $4.56
$7.12 $7.12
-35.96%
Potato (1kg)
$2.18 $2.18
$4.61 $4.61
-52.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.69 $2.69
$4.78 $4.78
-43.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 $2.27
$2.87 $2.87
-20.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 $1.34
$2.69 $2.69
-50.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.30 $12.30
$19.14 $19.14
-35.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.06 $15.06
$19.63 $19.63
-23.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.15 $2.15
$3.32 $3.32
-35.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 $3.50
$4.19 $4.19
-16.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Urbana, IL
New York, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.98 $0.98
$3.02 $3.02
-67.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$139 $139
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 $3.04
$3.04 $3.04
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 $0.64
$2.20 $2.20
-70.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.94 $24.94
$41.33 $41.33
-39.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.13 $1.13
-1.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$34.5K $34.5K
-20.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K $26.4K
$25.8K $25.8K
2.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Urbana, IL
New York, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$238 $238
$232 $232
2.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.91 $45.91
$71.0 $71.0
-35.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.6 $60.6
$67.7 $67.7
-10.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Urbana, IL
New York, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$115 $115
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$76.8 $76.8
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.79 $12.79
$22.41 $22.41
-42.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Urbana, IL
New York, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$987 $987
$3,606 $3,606
-72.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K $17.1K
$68.7K $68.7K
-75.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Urbana, IL
New York, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.14 $49.14
$79.3 $79.3
-37.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.5 $51.5
$51.4 $51.4
0.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 $102
$121 $121
-15.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 $122
$140 $140
-13.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Urbana, IL
New York, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$842 $842
$4,555 $4,555
-81.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$759 $759
$3,040 $3,040
-75.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$9,742 $9,742
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$5,331 $5,331
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,761 $1,761
$18.2K $18.2K
-90.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,777 $1,777
$6,685 $6,685
-73.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Urbana, IL
New York, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,662 $6,662
$5,096 $5,096
30.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
6.89
-1.02%

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

Last update for Urbana, IL: November 2, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Urbana, IL
$759
New York, NY
$3K 301% $2.3K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Urbana, IL
$344
New York, NY
$371 7.8% $27
Groceries & Markets
Urbana, IL
$339
New York, NY
$567 67.1% $228
Eating Out
Urbana, IL
$262
New York, NY
$425 62.3% $163
Clothing & Footwear
Urbana, IL
$146
New York, NY
$176 20.8% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Urbana, IL
$26 *
New York, NY
$160 527% $135
Getting Around
Urbana, IL
$10 *
New York, NY
$165 1527% $155

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $842 in Urbana, IL versus $4,555 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 31% higher in Urbana, 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 $60 in Urbana, IL versus $117 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $567 – making Urbana, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Urbana, IL
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🕒 Local time
09:58 9:58 AM
10:58 10:58 AM
1 h ahead of Urbana, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
41,250
8,804,190
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Urbana, IL New York, NY 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Urbana, IL
  • 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
Urbana, IL vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Urbana, IL or New York, NY?
New York, NY costs about 160% more than Urbana, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Urbana, IL and in New York, NY?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,830 per month in Urbana, IL and $7,358 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Urbana, IL or New York, NY?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Urbana, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $842 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.
How much does it cost to live in Urbana, IL compared to New York, NY?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,886 in Urbana, IL and $4,906 in New York, NY. That makes Urbana, IL about 62% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Urbana, IL and in New York, NY?
Kindergarten costs $987 per month in Urbana, IL and $3,606 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Urbana, IL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Urbana, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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