v256.0 · cost of living · US · verified 2026-04
United States cost of living
Cost-of-living breakdown for United States — rent in capital + secondary cities, groceries, dining, public transport, utilities, internet, gym, healthcare, schools. Includes USA + UK cost comparison, currency stability, and recent inflation.
Overview
Most expensive globally on healthcare but state variation huge · NY/SF/Boston premium · Texas/Florida/no-state-income-tax options · Rural Midwest very affordable
Rent — capital + secondary cities (USD)
| 1-bed centre | NYC Manhattan: USD 3,500-5,500/month · SF SOMA/Marina: USD 3,000-4,500 · LA Downtown/Hollywood: USD 2,500-3,800 · DC NW: USD 2,200-3,500 · Austin: USD 1,800-2,800 |
| 1-bed outskirts | NYC outer (Queens, Bronx): USD 2,000-2,800/month · SF Bay outer: USD 2,200-3,200 · LA suburbs: USD 1,800-2,500 · DC suburbs: USD 1,600-2,300 · Houston: USD 1,200-2,000 |
| 3-bed family | NYC 3BR Manhattan/Brooklyn: USD 6,000-15,000/month · SF 3BR: USD 5,000-9,000 · LA 3BR: USD 4,000-7,000 · Austin 3BR house: USD 2,800-5,000 · Houston 3BR house: USD 2,200-4,000 |
Groceries + dining
| Groceries (per person/month) | USD 400-700 typical single · Walmart + Target value · Trader Joe's mid-tier · Whole Foods + Erewhon premium · Costco/Sam's Club bulk · Farmer's markets fresh · Imported 20-50% above local |
| Dining out | Fast casual lunch (Chipotle, Sweetgreen): USD 12-18 · Diner meal: USD 15-25 · Mid-tier restaurant: USD 30-65/person · Fine dining: USD 100-300/person · Coffee Starbucks: USD 4-7 · Beer in bar: USD 7-12 · Cocktail: USD 12-20 |
Transport + utilities + internet
| Public transport + commuting | NYC subway single: USD 2.90 · Monthly unlimited: USD 132 · SF Muni monthly: USD 81 · Uber/Lyft USD 15-50 typical · Gas USD 3.00-5.00/gallon · Vehicle reg + insurance USD 800-3,000/year |
| Utilities + internet | Electricity + gas + water for 90sqm apt: USD 180-350/month · Internet 500 Mbps-1 Gbps: USD 60-100/month (Xfinity, Spectrum, AT&T, Verizon Fios) · Mobile unlimited: USD 60-100/month |
Gym + healthcare + schools
Gym: USD 35-150/month (Planet Fitness budget USD 25; Equinox USD 250+) · Health insurance employer-sponsored USD 200-700/month employee · Marketplace USD 400-800/month · Out-of-pocket annual USD 5,000-15,000 typical · Private K-12 USD 15,000-65,000/year · Public universities USD 11,000-32,000/year tuition
Cost compared (relative)
| vs USA | 100% baseline · Costs vary 2-3x by state (Mississippi vs Hawaii) |
| vs UK | ~110-130% of UK cost (London baseline) — except healthcare which is much higher |
Currency + inflation
| Currency stability | USD reserve currency · Global benchmark · DXY index reference · No FX risk for USD-earners |
| Recent inflation | 2022 peak 9.1% (40-year high) · 2023 declined to 3.4% · 2024 ~3.0% · 2025 ~2.9% · Fed target 2% · Shelter inflation 5%+ |
Source: official United States statistics office · Last verified 2026-04
See also: United States country profile · cost-of-living atlas