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)
101
5500
141 $1,346 $2,796 $2,734 $5,548
79.75
241.49
102
12556
118 $973 $2,392 $1,945 $4,029
45.57
292.1
103
-
142 $1,182 $2,862 $3,247 $5,824
66.07
402.99
104
44000
120 $872 $2,427 $2,111 $4,521
133.46
326.48
105
10772
140 $1,329 $2,791 $3,014 $5,327
73.09
333.15
106
15600
124 $951 $2,491 $2,347 $4,674
62.36
351.3
107
15600
132 $1,063 $2,596 $2,409 $5,115
33.56
414.87
108
229493
128 $1,041 $2,518 $2,391 $4,358
158.55
333.73
109
52777
125 $1,004 $2,549 $2,571 $4,720
7.81
357
110
8000
125 $1,055 $2,545 $2,199 $4,614
84.54
284.84
111
58844
190 $1,176 $3,824 $2,878 $5,282
11.46
299.13
112
75418
123 $1,020 $2,478 $1,961 $4,575
190.26
336.62
113
1200
136 $1,337 $2,704 $3,117 $5,518
254.87
362.65
114
13769
154 $923 $3,135 $2,803 $5,584
248.36
313.56
115
12029
123 $764 $2,477 $2,282 $4,660
127.86
313.48
116
115282
129 $1,026 $2,538 $2,184 $4,859
61.51
398.24
117
115282
129 $1,087 $2,584 $2,686 $4,869
324.47
361.82
118
97494
136 $1,178 $2,753 $2,490 $5,455
187.39
344.11
119
16828
130 $937 $2,590 $2,347 $4,986
81.09
356.53
120
48752
129 $1,048 $2,588 $2,495 $4,857
62.14
323.52
121
8200
134 $1,020 $2,642 $3,005 $5,392
73.59
307.47
122
-
133 $1,188 $2,633 $2,443 $5,109
156.27
365.01
123
6800
129 $946 $2,576 $2,610 $4,845
30.94
276.15
124
7300
130 $1,003 $2,632 $2,117 $5,084
148.31
431.09
125
42404
133 $1,063 $2,711 $2,512 $4,357
356.14
373.21
126
151854
118 $1,176 $2,384 $3,180 $4,742
130.1
434.91
127
151854
182 $1,371 $3,587 $2,970 $7,127
35.29
363.5
128
91482
143 $1,285 $2,832 $3,297 $5,598
253.29
307.7
129
24729
136 $975 $2,711 $2,382 $5,011
373.87
330.1
130
36348
128 $1,015 $2,527 $2,461 $4,840
33.31
343.85
131
23054
129 $960 $2,576 $2,901 $4,857
176.25
348.31
132
25585
122 $948 $2,385 $1,754 $4,466
106.65
410.49
133
13431
127 $1,086 $2,548 $2,442 $4,799
95.6
291.03
134
111823
157 $1,095 $3,160 $2,644 $6,124
31.64
307.12
135
54164
123 $975 $2,489 $2,501 $4,672
123.69
351.45
136
-
204 $1,292 $4,092 $2,764 $6,155
149.89
304.22
137
13575
139 $1,234 $2,812 $2,798 $5,328
112.7
312.06
138
121363
194 $1,358 $3,797 $3,380 $7,447
62.6
306.9
139
57250
137 $1,321 $2,758 $3,118 $5,247
238.32
396.56
140
6300
131 $1,145 $2,568 $2,527 $5,012
146.41
166.44
141
-
168 $1,410 $3,350 $3,048 $6,347
96.85
320
142
75624
136 $1,014 $2,717 $2,606 $5,020
152.88
294.66
143
34979
164 $1,110 $3,260 $2,991 $5,279
175.57
329.52
144
34979
122 $957 $2,377 $1,943 $4,578
56.95
384
145
42670
138 $1,251 $2,779 $2,822 $5,241
128.86
333.7
146
10565
125 $1,014 $2,529 $2,056 $4,807
24.47
365.46
147
117116
111 $1,048 $2,203 $2,568 $4,727
40.17
375.06
148
49449
100 $923 $1,984 $2,206 $4,544
145.74
331.06
149
47969
115 $1,071 $2,303 $3,120 $4,510
9.99
361.27
150
1500
126 $893 $2,493 $2,698 $4,814
112.58
253.24
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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