Living in the United States: cost of living, rents and the salary you need

Updated 2 October 2026

How much do you need to earn to live in the United States? Here are rents in the main cities, the minimum wage, healthcare, residence permits and moving costs, with the official source of every figure. For your own case, the calculator starts from your real budget, in your city, and moves it to the United States.

Work out my budget in the United States

Example: the same life, elsewhere

A single person living in London in a one-bedroom home, with the average spending of a similar household, spends about £3,350 a month. To keep the same life in New York, they would need about $3,710 (≈ €3,270) net a month locally (−17%), i.e. 1.5 times the New York City minimum wage.

For a couple with two children in a two-bedroom home (state school), it would take about $5,690 (≈ €5,010) net a month in New York, i.e. 2.2 times the New York City minimum wage.

Calculated on 2 October 2026 with the official averages of London and the destination’s prices. Yours depends on your city, home and habits: the calculator works it out in a few minutes, no sign-up.

Rents in the United States

City	Studio	1 bedroom	2 bedrooms	3-bedroom house	1 bedroom in euros
New York	$2,380	$2,430	$2,540	$2,940	€2,140
Los Angeles	$1,830	$2,100	$2,650	$3,040	€1,850
Chicago	$1,530	$1,640	$1,790	$1,950	€1,450
Houston	$1,160	$1,210	$1,410	$1,760	€1,070
Phoenix	$1,330	$1,460	$1,740	$2,150	€1,290
Philadelphia	$1,300	$1,330	$1,670	$1,620	€1,170
San Antonio	$1,130	$1,150	$1,360	$1,630	€1,010
San Diego	$2,280	$2,460	$2,990	$3,560	€2,160
Dallas	$1,430	$1,410	$1,720	$1,840	€1,250
Fort Worth	$1,270	$1,270	$1,550	$1,840	€1,110
Jacksonville	$1,220	$1,380	$1,590	$1,770	€1,220
San Jose	$2,270	$2,420	$2,990	$3,650	€2,130

Monthly rent in USD, outside the most sought-after areas. Studio 28 m², 1 bedroom 45 m², 2 bedrooms 65 m², house 95 m² where rent is known per m². U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024: median rent by number of bedrooms in each city, adjusted to what tenants who moved in since 2023 pay, excluding utilities, and updated with the BLS rent index (August 2026).

Wages

The New York City minimum wage is $2,550 (≈ €2,250) net a month ($2,950 gross).

It varies by region: amount in New York.

Median wage: $65,100 (≈ €57,300) gross a year.

Healthcare

Without an employer, individual plans are compared on HealthCare.gov or your state’s marketplace.

In the example above: with a job, health insurance usually comes through the employer: we count the average employee share (£110 a month).

Visa and residence permit

You usually need an offer from a US employer, who files the petition for you.

Cost: $460 (≈ €400) per person.

Work visa (H-1B, L-1…).

There is no visa to live on income from abroad: you need a local job, unless your nationality is exempt.

Moving in and everyday life

Deposit: 1 month’ rent
Agency fees: No fees for the tenant
School: Free state school
Electricity: $0.12 to $0.46 per kWh depending on the region
Getting around without a car: OMNY: $150 a month per adult
Home cleaning: $50 an hour

Frequently asked questions

What salary do you need to live in New York?

For a single person keeping the same life as in London: about $3,710 (≈ €3,270) net a month, i.e. 1.5 times the New York City minimum wage.

How much is rent in New York?

About $2,430 (≈ €2,140) a month for a one-bedroom home and $2,540 for a two-bedroom home, according to U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024.

Do you need a residence permit to live in the United States?

You usually need an offer from a US employer, who files the petition for you. Cost: $460 (≈ €400) per person.