Cost of living in United States
Summary of cost of living in United States
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: $4,522
- Single person estimated monthly costs: $2,586
- Cost of living in United States is more expensive than in 76% of countries in the World (20 out of 79)
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| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | $15 | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | $8 | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | $4.28 | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | $0.88 | ||
| 12 eggs, large | $2.89 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | $4.15 | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | $6 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | $3.45 | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | $1.76 | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | $3.06 | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | $14 | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | $1.98 | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | $2.20 | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | $2,192 | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | $1,572 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | $178 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | $1,532 | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | $1,133 | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | $113 | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | $52 | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | $270 | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | $127 | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | $11 | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | $22 | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | $47 | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | $42 | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | $87 | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | $108 | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | $23,611 | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | $0.68 | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | $73 | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | $7 | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | $17 | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | $112 | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | $7 | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | $3.40 | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | $4.87 | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | $3.63 | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | $1.80 | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | $22 | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | $47 | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | $25 | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | $202 | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | $78 | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | $12 | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | $4.93 | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | $5.63 | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | $422 | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | $0.23 | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | $49 | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | $8 | ||
Moving to United States with your children?
International Schools in United States
Map of Cost of Living in United States
This map shows only the top cities in United States. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in United States
(top cities by data quality)
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to United States? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in USA of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get your own salary calculation
List of all cities available in United States
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in New York City is about the same as in London
- Cost of living in Miami, Florida is 87% more expensive than in Santiago
- Cost of living in Miami, Florida is 162% more expensive than in Bogotá
- Cost of living in Miami, Florida is 202% more expensive than in Buenos Aires
- Cost of living in Palm Springs, California is 17% cheaper than in San Diego, California
- Cost of living in New York City is 231% more expensive than in Bogotá
- Cost of living in Washington D.C. is 16% more expensive than in Luxembourg
- Cost of living in New York City is 7% more expensive than in Sydney
- Cost of living in New York City is 132% more expensive than in Santiago
- Cost of living in New York City is about the same as in San Francisco, California
- Cost of living in New York City is 67% more expensive than in Madrid
- Cost of living in San Francisco, California is 33% more expensive than in Sacramento, California
- Cost of living in Austin, Texas is 12% cheaper than in Denver, Colorado
- Cost of living in Los Angeles, California is 5% more expensive than in Miami, Florida
- Cost of living in New York City is 18% more expensive than in Los Angeles, California
- Cost of living in San Francisco, California is 67% more expensive than in Madrid
- Cost of living in San Francisco, California is 16% more expensive than in Los Angeles, California
- Cost of living in Miami, Florida is 158% more expensive than in Lima
- Cost of living in New York City is 170% more expensive than in Moscow
- Cost of living in San Diego, California is about the same as in Los Angeles, California
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new in Austin, Texas costs $26,613 (1 day ago)
- Summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) in Austin, Texas costs $44 (1 day ago)
- Furnished accommodation in normal area, monthly rent - 900 sqft in Las Vegas, Nevada costs $1,423 (1 day ago)
- Monthly rent - 900 sqft furnished accommodation in expensive area in Washington D.C. costs $4,066 (1 day ago)
- Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new in Boston, Massachusetts costs $20,000 (1 day ago)
- Jeans (levis 501 or similar) in Boston, Massachusetts costs $80 (1 day ago)
- Internet connection 300 mbps, 1 month in Boston, Massachusetts costs $100 (1 day ago)
- Hourly rate for domestic cleaning help in Boston, Massachusetts costs $18 (1 day ago)
- Utilities (studio), monthly for 1 person in 480 sqft in Boston, Massachusetts costs $101 (1 day ago)
- Monthly rent - 480 sqft furnished studio in normal area in Boston, Massachusetts costs $2,018 (1 day ago)