Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wheaton, IL: $2,771 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $25,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Wheaton, IL
Learn more

Wheaton, IL Living Index
234

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
Learn more

New York, NY Living Index

Jump to prices

Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,771

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,771 per month in Wheaton, IL vs $4,906 in New York, NY, rent included.

Wheaton, IL $2,771
New York, NY $4,906

A couple spends around $4,053 per month in Wheaton, IL vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

Wheaton, IL $4,053
New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $5,335 per month in Wheaton, IL vs $9,641 in New York, NY, rent included.

Wheaton, IL $5,335
New York, NY $9,641

Wheaton, IL is about 44% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Wheaton, IL and New York, NY sit above the global median – Wheaton, IL by 105%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.87 $15.87

$26.93 $26.93

-41.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.9 $69.9

$117 $117

-40.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$14.60 $14.60

-18.29%

Cappuccino

$5.75 $5.75

$6.54 $6.54

-12.08%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$3.86 $3.86

-23.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.95 $2.95

-20.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 $6.66

$8.08 $8.08

-17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$9.85 $9.85

-20.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.31 $1.31

-27.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 $2.80

$4.97 $4.97

-43.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$7.70 $7.70

-61.30%

Eggs

$3.67 $3.67

$6.09 $6.09

-39.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 $10.54

$19.55 $19.55

-46.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$17.59 $17.59

-38.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.74 $19.74

$20.26 $20.26

-2.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$6.99 $6.99

-27.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.21 $2.21

-21.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$6.72 $6.72

-49.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$7.12 $7.12

-36.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$4.61 $4.61

-57.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$4.78 $4.78

-38.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.87 $2.87

-31.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.69 $2.69

-15.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 $8.71

$19.14 $19.14

-54.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$19.63 $19.63

-38.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.32 $3.32

-32.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$4.19 $4.19

-35.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.02 $3.02

64.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$139 $139

-28.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.04 $3.04

29.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 $0.79

$2.20 $2.20

-64.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.34 $44.34

$41.33 $41.33

7.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.13 $1.13

-2.65%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$34.5K $34.5K

-34.26%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.8K $25.8K

-2.17%

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

$176 $176

$232 $232

-24.27%

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

$46.90 $46.90

$71.0 $71.0

-33.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 $71.4

$67.7 $67.7

5.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.68 $35.68

$115 $115

-69.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 $11.94

$22.41 $22.41

-46.72%

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

$1,597 $1,597

$3,606 $3,606

-55.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K $21.7K

$68.7K $68.7K

-68.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$79.3 $79.3

-27.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.83 $34.83

$51.4 $51.4

-32.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 $89.6

$121 $121

-26.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$140 $140

-27.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 $1,989

$4,555 $4,555

-56.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 $1,491

$3,040 $3,040

-50.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$9,742 $9,742

-71.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,523 $2,523

$5,331 $5,331

-52.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,685 $6,685

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,433 $5,433

$5,096 $5,096

6.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.89

-1.16%

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

Last update for Wheaton, IL: October 31, 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

Wheaton, IL

$1.5K 53.8%

New York, NY

$3K 62% 104% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Wheaton, IL

$369 13.3%

New York, NY

$567 11.6% 53.7% $198

Eating Out

Wheaton, IL

$302 10.9%

New York, NY

$425 8.7% 40.8% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Wheaton, IL

$294 10.6%

New York, NY

$371 7.6% 26.1% $77

Getting Around

Wheaton, IL

$128 4.6%

New York, NY

$165 3.4% 29.4% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Wheaton, IL

$128 4.6%

New York, NY

$176 3.6% 38.2% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Wheaton, IL

$60 2.2%

New York, NY

$160 3.3% 169% $101

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,989 in Wheaton, 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 7% higher in Wheaton, 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 $70 in Wheaton, IL versus $117 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $567 – making Wheaton, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Wheaton, IL

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

13:31 1:31 PM

14:31 2:31 PM

1 h ahead of Wheaton, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

54,611

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Wheaton, IL New York, NY 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Wheaton, 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

Wheaton, IL vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 77% more than Wheaton, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,157 per month in Wheaton, IL and $7,358 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 Wheaton, IL, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,989 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $1,597 per month in Wheaton, 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.

Groceries cost about 54% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,771 in Wheaton, IL and $4,906 in New York, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Wheaton, IL is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 44% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.