Cost of living in the United States
Thinking of moving to the US? Compare the cost of living in any city with your hometown.
Compare cities
Pick your hometown and the US city you're comparing it with.
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At a glance
The upside: its subway is so extensive that most New Yorkers skip a car — a real monthly saving. Sending money home? Ria makes it fast and secure.
Life in New York
New York City spreads across five boroughs on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors, tied together by a subway that runs around the clock. Wall Street anchors an economy built on finance, tech, media and culture. An estimated 800 languages are spoken here, and Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan is the most prominent Dominican community in the United States.
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Over 800 languages are spoken here — the most linguistically diverse city in the world.
Monthly breakdown
What everyday life costs in each city, side by side.
| Total |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | $490 | $2,389 |
| Healthcare | $70 | $373 |
| Groceries | $150 | $487 |
| Utilities | $105 | $343 |
| Transit | $55 | $150 |
| Other | $395 | $535 |
Estimated monthly costs for one adult: typical rent across the metro area, USDA's moderate-cost food plan and U.S. government spending data — a typical budget, not a minimum.
Sources, updated September 2026: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (Regional Price Parities, 2024); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Surveys, 2024; Consumer Price Index); U.S. Department of Agriculture (Food Plans, July 2026); Federal Communications Commission (Urban Rate Survey, 2026); U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Fair Market Rents, FY2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (weekly retail gasoline prices); official fare pages of each city's transit agency; Latin America: crowdsourced cost-of-living platforms, used for reference.
Bogotá figures are collected from online sources.
Cost of living by US city
15 cities, ranked by monthly cost for one person
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