Cost of Living in United States - Updated Prices & Insights

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $1,132 (excluding rent), and $2,767 including rent.
Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $2,781 (excluding rent), and $5,405 including rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cost
Range
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.97 $19.97
$11.98 $11.98
$39.93 $39.93
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.7 $74.7
$49.78 $49.78
$149 $149
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.40 $11.40
$9.91 $9.91
$14.86 $14.86
Cappuccino
$5.37 $5.37
$3.08 $3.08
$8.20 $8.20
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 $2.63
$2.05 $2.05
$4.11 $4.11
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.48 $1.48
$2.95 $2.95
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.90 $5.90
$3.94 $3.94
$8.85 $8.85
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.02 $7.02
$5.01 $5.01
$12.03 $12.03
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cost
Range
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$0.54 $0.54
$2.11 $2.11
White Bread (500g)
$3.55 $3.55
$1.92 $1.92
$6.53 $6.53
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.73 $4.73
$2.08 $2.08
$9.03 $9.03
Eggs
$4.30 $4.30
$1.98 $1.98
$7.62 $7.62
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.01 $13.01
$6.67 $6.67
$26.69 $26.69
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.22 $12.22
$5.52 $5.52
$22.08 $22.08
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.36 $16.36
$9.94 $9.94
$26.50 $26.50
Apples (1kg)
$5.21 $5.21
$2.17 $2.17
$8.71 $8.71
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.11 $1.11
$4.46 $4.46
Oranges (1kg)
$4.59 $4.59
$2.13 $2.13
$11.24 $11.24
Tomato (1kg)
$4.97 $4.97
$2.18 $2.18
$8.91 $8.91
Potato (1kg)
$2.98 $2.98
$1.11 $1.11
$6.70 $6.70
Onion (1kg)
$3.04 $3.04
$1.72 $1.72
$6.50 $6.50
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 $2.26
$1.32 $1.32
$5.00 $5.00
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 $2.17
$0.97 $0.97
$3.40 $3.40
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.83 $9.83
$7.87 $7.87
$18.68 $18.68
Wine (Bottle)
$15.17 $15.17
$9.10 $9.10
$25.29 $25.29
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 $1.91
$1.69 $1.69
$3.49 $3.49
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 $3.58
$1.49 $1.49
$6.95 $6.95
🚌 Getting Around
Cost
Range
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.49 $2.49
$1.49 $1.49
$3.98 $3.98
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.1 $66.1
$35.60 $35.60
$134 $134
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.82 $3.82
$2.65 $2.65
$7.13 $7.13
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.28 $1.28
$3.18 $3.18
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.48 $29.48
$21.62 $21.62
$44.21 $44.21
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.91 $0.91
$0.72 $0.72
$1.29 $1.29
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.5K $29.5K
$23.5K $23.5K
$35.5K $35.5K
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K $26.1K
$25.0K $25.0K
$28.3K $28.3K
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cost
Range
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 $206
$119 $119
$383 $383
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$56.9 $56.9
$29.74 $29.74
$99.1 $99.1
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.8 $72.8
$50.7 $50.7
$110 $110
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cost
Range
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.23 $45.23
$19.72 $19.72
$140 $140
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.84 $21.84
$7.98 $7.98
$64.4 $64.4
Cinema Ticket
$13.79 $13.79
$10.34 $10.34
$19.70 $19.70
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cost
Range
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,355 $1,355
$789 $789
$3,122 $3,122
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.6K $22.6K
$12.0K $12.0K
$39.9K $39.9K
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cost
Range
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.3 $51.3
$28.46 $28.46
$78.5 $78.5
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.37 $42.37
$23.87 $23.87
$69.6 $69.6
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 $88.6
$59.1 $59.1
$128 $128
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 $115
$65.8 $65.8
$202 $202
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cost
Range
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,763 $1,763
$1,119 $1,119
$4,214 $4,214
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,432 $1,432
$948 $948
$2,787 $2,787
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,827 $2,827
$1,769 $1,769
$8,243 $8,243
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,358 $2,358
$1,577 $1,577
$5,143 $5,143
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,391 $3,391
$1,457 $1,457
$20.7K $20.7K
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,614 $2,614
$1,264 $1,264
$9,376 $9,376
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cost
Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,326 $4,326
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
6
7

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

Last update: March 3, 2026

By City in United States
Lowest
Highest
Rank
City
Population
Living Index
Solo costs (no rent) / month
Solo costs (with rent) / month
Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month
Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month
Mobile download speed (Mbps)
Internet download speed (Mbps)
501
135161
170 $1,022 $3,386 $2,693 $7,230
153.52
362.28
502
17000
126 $1,017 $2,485 $2,619 $4,782
41.74
414.35
503
33945
88 $833 $1,769 $2,384 $3,246
122.7
333.29
504
-
136 $1,191 $2,663 $2,831 $5,561
172.12
263.91
505
116616
129 $977 $2,609 $2,577 $4,843
126.72
321.1
506
-
135 $1,287 $2,749 $2,555 $5,151
23.84
308.21
507
69657
141 $1,001 $2,827 $3,013 $5,385
73.72
342.31
508
30052
127 $982 $2,547 $2,142 $4,522
189.03
330.28
509
21605
134 $1,296 $2,712 $2,934 $5,067
102.46
186.57
510
53695
101 $800 $2,030 $1,899 $3,977
19.97
267.16
511
-
135 $1,077 $2,697 $2,756 $5,215
40.64
245.44
512
170883
132 $1,141 $2,598 $2,450 $5,142
115.92
364.88
513
-
119 $923 $2,361 $2,418 $4,634
266.46
291.48
514
242035
141 $1,092 $2,783 $2,592 $5,556
17.93
408
515
69904
110 $884 $2,211 $2,308 $5,067
137.56
395.21
516
12812
124 $1,041 $2,496 $2,444 $4,844
57.07
460.74
517
67176
130 $1,030 $2,559 $2,097 $4,726
84.02
298.49
518
67176
126 $914 $2,533 $2,498 $4,790
68.61
405.78
519
-
156 $1,197 $3,158 $2,603 $5,075
50.61
316.47
520
-
129 $1,033 $2,544 $2,219 $5,029
46.91
319.9
521
12029
167 $1,250 $3,394 $3,348 $5,769
122.35
355.94
522
208453
141 $1,135 $2,791 $2,716 $5,187
148.31
363.59
523
31978
130 $904 $2,593 $2,101 $4,753
36.15
365.06
524
200831
112 $1,019 $2,188 $2,134 $4,745
153.04
345.55
525
200831
198 $1,328 $3,992 $2,627 $6,390
41.01
352.11
526
50370
139 $1,375 $2,796 $3,265 $5,451
54.43
364.85
527
29729
132 $1,007 $2,617 $2,556 $4,971
22.5
369.42
528
20399
134 $1,075 $2,704 $2,992 $5,183
176.68
351.6
529
38203
122 $965 $2,428 $2,325 $4,556
106.93
399.18
530
11000
129 $1,180 $2,625 $2,870 $4,939
28.93
332.01
531
35938
121 $1,096 $2,448 $2,237 $4,742
118.09
362.03
532
11000
125 $887 $2,454 $2,078 $4,597
266.94
380.06
533
50372
117 $1,419 $2,353 $2,670 $4,617
117.04
336.34
534
44632
129 $1,015 $2,593 $2,569 $4,932
81.6
372.08
535
65560
127 $1,166 $2,569 $2,991 $4,621
146.06
377.69
536
183372
129 $1,061 $2,557 $2,255 $4,805
277.69
414.61
537
198917
123 $1,081 $2,492 $2,597 $5,172
49.71
358.97
538
25190
125 $1,011 $2,496 $2,652 $4,948
77.12
430.6
539
34533
126 $767 $2,479 $1,782 $4,533
241.27
397.55
540
50631
111 $850 $2,210 $1,909 $4,711
260.85
308.92
541
14016
149 $957 $2,922 $2,428 $4,650
18.15
297.15
542
60442
113 $988 $2,232 $2,594 $4,302
237.99
392.29
543
-
117 $1,006 $2,328 $2,108 $4,333
129.54
93.11
544
101412
122 $1,019 $2,436 $2,446 $4,252
117.01
364.71
545
8500
129 $1,146 $2,565 $2,277 $4,984
117.64
317.44
546
-
122 $825 $2,448 $1,998 $4,583
57.14
353.89
547
17768
125 $892 $2,535 $2,396 $4,539
27.41
328.53
548
17768
126 $845 $2,539 $2,310 $4,679
172.38
444.8
549
299035
119 $1,132 $2,332 $2,686 $4,633
224.67
367.62
550
14939
124 $830 $2,472 $1,955 $4,613
41.68
333.97
United States Median Internet Speeds (Updated January 2026)

Mobile

Download
Mbps
Upload
Mbps
Latency
ms

Fixed Broadband

Download
Mbps
Upload
Mbps
Latency
ms
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Cost of Living in United States - Frequently Asked Questions
How does affordability vary across the United States for travelers, expats, and digital nomads?
Affordability across the United States ranges from high-cost metros to more affordable midsize cities and towns. When you compare the Cost of Living in United States, you’ll quickly see housing and transportation dominate the differences, with healthcare and utilities adding nuance. Coastal cities and tech hubs tend to be pricier, while inland regions and college towns offer more breathing room. Your value comes from choosing the right neighborhood, lease length, and season. For digital nomads, consider brief stays in a few areas to test work-life balance, internet reliability, and social scenes. Tip: map a monthly budget by housing, groceries, and transit before you travel.
What does day-to-day life look like for housing, groceries, transport, and coworking in the United States?
Day-to-day life varies by city, but some patterns hold. When housing hunting, search by neighborhood rather than building; factor walkability, safety, and commute times. Grocery options range from big-box stores to farmer markets, with regional specialties shaping meals. Public transit works well in many cities, though you may still rely on rideshares or bikes in others. Flexible coworking and coffee spaces help you balance cost and network. For errands, plan a weekly route that minimizes backtracking. United States living cost shifts with the seasons too – summer tourism can spike prices in popular places, while winter can quiet activity in others. Tip: negotiate longer leases to lock in steadier rates.
How can you refine your budgeting framework and neighborhood fit for quality of life, seasonality, and savings?
Build a simple budgeting framework that accounts for housing, utilities, food, transport, and leisure, with room for unexpected costs like healthcare or pet care. Use a core city as your baseline, then compare nearby neighborhoods by rent ranges, commute lengths, and access to amenities. Seasonality matters: some areas price up in summer or during events; others stay steady year-round. Prioritize neighborhoods with good internet, safe outdoor spaces, and a sense of community that fits your pace. For savings, consider long-term rentals, public transit passes, and shared housing or co-living options to reduce costs while keeping flexibility. Tip: try a month-long pilot in a couple of neighborhoods before committing.

United States vs other spots: cost of living compared

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