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)
401
10000
105 $1,006 $2,073 $2,252 $5,109
105.93
318.2
402
16053
137 $1,215 $2,699 $2,419 $5,218
286.98
405.77
403
26800
111 $1,137 $2,180 $2,608 $4,821
72
301.79
404
-
137 $1,247 $2,731 $2,784 $7,009
119.87
97.23
405
68802
110 $1,143 $2,193 $2,326 $3,939
172.41
368.83
406
60797
138 $1,029 $2,724 $2,777 $5,323
66
419.53
407
6000
140 $1,085 $2,825 $2,699 $5,451
102.19
395.45
408
100243
129 $1,041 $2,575 $2,503 $4,852
120.97
389.1
409
107588
167 $1,544 $3,339 $3,024 $6,070
176.2
377.14
410
76644
99 $905 $1,997 $2,602 $4,058
41.5
332.39
411
26808
133 $1,218 $2,623 $2,755 $5,126
206.06
357.41
412
12447
127 $1,000 $2,580 $2,262 $4,693
21.99
320.79
413
106215
162 $1,034 $3,244 $2,466 $6,977
36.36
353.02
414
44322
126 $1,136 $2,510 $2,500 $4,598
37.87
352.91
415
25508
168 $1,312 $3,402 $3,481 $6,634
24.34
375.31
416
17756
83 $950 $1,692 $2,341 $3,149
59.57
288.89
417
678815
106 $1,048 $2,093 $2,542 $4,362
79.89
315.05
418
4600
136 $1,085 $2,687 $2,397 $5,080
145.09
277.24
419
112603
120 $903 $2,381 $2,137 $4,619
280.81
373.48
420
6700
130 $1,042 $2,548 $2,362 $4,958
125.6
339.67
421
18683
127 $1,002 $2,555 $2,508 $4,739
27.04
356.36
422
126179
158 $1,323 $3,135 $2,663 $5,827
244.56
368.2
423
14546
129 $1,060 $2,533 $2,804 $4,887
52.65
376.47
424
23406
118 $895 $2,384 $1,784 $3,515
47.74
313.76
425
166913
132 $1,043 $2,647 $2,832 $5,105
202.48
349.31
426
52748
104 $792 $2,072 $1,899 $4,537
144.23
330.73
427
10000
121 $1,017 $2,402 $2,169 $4,746
59.06
390.31
428
21018
129 $994 $2,557 $2,394 $4,924
128.5
339.88
429
18666
93 $1,022 $1,887 $2,173 $4,026
41.64
326.68
430
-
133 $1,034 $2,663 $2,924 $5,161
92.29
311.67
431
8500
127 $1,005 $2,508 $2,330 $5,061
222.28
174.85
432
26523
96 $899 $1,910 $2,274 $3,576
203.03
398.68
433
26188
73 $817 $1,469 $1,793 $3,282
41.9
253.88
434
62007
159 $1,193 $3,220 $2,681 $6,835
63.34
307.61
435
45231
129 $1,087 $2,543 $2,889 $5,047
178.26
387.53
436
49379
132 $1,107 $2,581 $2,942 $5,142
96.18
324.16
437
28711
124 $948 $2,438 $2,114 $4,594
35.65
424.98
438
28711
129 $1,021 $2,597 $2,565 $4,951
115.01
341.31
439
97263
120 $1,000 $2,363 $2,307 $4,047
137.13
391.88
440
151038
179 $789 $3,513 $2,339 $5,158
40.29
276.58
441
159150
121 $1,127 $2,368 $2,689 $5,021
64.71
360.5
442
27191
118 $1,171 $2,339 $2,675 $4,276
20
337.43
443
17977
133 $1,099 $2,673 $2,384 $5,020
62.12
417.75
444
74486
127 $1,205 $2,524 $2,691 $6,143
119.66
315.16
445
115738
129 $885 $2,536 $2,225 $4,260
278.89
360.7
446
110629
151 $1,341 $2,966 $2,733 $6,092
39.29
342.87
447
32515
155 $1,320 $3,051 $3,253 $5,474
52.28
270.74
448
32770
126 $1,053 $2,540 $2,051 $4,692
104.24
416.78
449
24146
170 $1,293 $3,352 $3,154 $6,275
173.93
295.34
450
117133
198 $1,388 $3,944 $3,189 $7,285
179.3
359.3
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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