Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Waukesha, WI and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Waukesha, WI: $2,030 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $34,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

98

Cost of Living Index in Waukesha, WI
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Waukesha, WI Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Waukesha, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,030

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,030 per month in Waukesha, WI vs $4,938 in New York, NY, rent included.

Waukesha, WI $2,030
New York, NY $4,938

A couple spends around $2,967 per month in Waukesha, WI vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

Waukesha, WI $2,967
New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $3,905 per month in Waukesha, WI vs $9,608 in New York, NY, rent included.

Waukesha, WI $3,905
New York, NY $9,608

Waukesha, WI is about 59% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Waukesha, WI and New York, NY sit above the global median – Waukesha, WI by 50%, New York, NY by 264%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.70 $16.70

$24.99 $24.99

-33.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$120 $120

-36.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 $10.99

$13.74 $13.74

-20.01%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$6.60 $6.60

-26.06%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$3.82 $3.82

-27.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.87 $2.87

-31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$7.95 $7.95

-23.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$10.06 $10.06

-32.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.37 $1.37

-41.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.75 $4.75

-28.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$7.69 $7.69

-42.00%

Eggs

$3.59 $3.59

$5.87 $5.87

-38.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 $9.04

$19.25 $19.25

-53.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$17.83 $17.83

-36.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 $16.57

$19.03 $19.03

-12.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$6.69 $6.69

-20.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.29 $2.29

-25.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$6.41 $6.41

-44.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$6.75 $6.75

-23.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.93 $3.93

-54.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$4.52 $4.52

-42.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.79 $2.79

-42.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.51 $2.51

-25.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 $8.39

$18.10 $18.10

-53.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 $10.90

$20.16 $20.16

-45.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$3.26 $3.26

-46.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$3.75 $3.75

-9.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.92 $2.92

-29.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.0 $50.0

$143 $143

-64.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.06 $3.06

-5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.16 $2.16

-24.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.09 $21.09

$41.33 $41.33

-48.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.12 $1.12

-8.93%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$33.1K $33.1K

-24.70%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

-1.86%

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

$200 $200

$219 $219

-8.62%

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

$51.2 $51.2

$75.3 $75.3

-31.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.5 $60.5

$70.5 $70.5

-14.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 $50.3

$116 $116

-56.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

Cinema Ticket

$14.06 $14.06

$21.37 $21.37

-34.21%

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

$1,472 $1,472

$3,432 $3,432

-57.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$61.7K $61.7K

-60.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$74.9 $74.9

-28.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 $40.55

$52.1 $52.1

-22.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$117 $117

-23.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 $76.3

$135 $135

-43.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 $1,006

$4,347 $4,347

-76.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$805 $805

$3,117 $3,117

-74.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 $1,616

$9,110 $9,110

-82.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 $1,190

$5,379 $5,379

-77.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 $2,430

$19.3K $19.3K

-87.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,375 $2,375

$6,943 $6,943

-65.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,340 $4,340

$5,238 $5,238

-17.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.85

-4.67%

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

Last update for Waukesha, WI: October 19, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Waukesha, WI

$805 39.7%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1% 287% $2.3K

Groceries & Markets

Waukesha, WI

$361 17.8%

New York, NY

$552 11.2% 53.1% $192

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Waukesha, WI

$312 15.4%

New York, NY

$365 7.4% 17% $53

Eating Out

Waukesha, WI

$288 14.2%

New York, NY

$407 8.2% 41.3% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Waukesha, WI

$117 5.8%

New York, NY

$170 3.5% 45.9% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Waukesha, WI

$78 3.9%

New York, NY

$158 3.2% 102% $80

Getting Around

Waukesha, WI

$69 3.4%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 143% $99

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Waukesha, WI versus $4,347 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 21% 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 $76.0 in Waukesha, WI versus $120 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $552 – making Waukesha, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Waukesha, WI

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

22:57 10:57 PM

23:57 11:57 PM

1 h ahead of Waukesha, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

71,158

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Waukesha, WI New York, NY 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Waukesha, WI
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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

Waukesha, WI vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 143% more than Waukesha, WI, 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 $3,045 per month in Waukesha, WI and $7,407 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 Waukesha, WI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,472 per month in Waukesha, WI and $3,432 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Waukesha, WI, where all-in costs run around $2,030, than in New York, NY at $4,938. In Waukesha, WI it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Waukesha, WI costs $2,030 versus $4,938 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Waukesha, WI. 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.