- Wandurance
- Destinations
- United States
Cost of Living in United States for Digital Nomads
United States sits 181st of 199 countries on Wandurance's price index, from cheapest to most expensive, and is 49% pricier than the Americas average. A Normal lifestyle in a major city runs about $113 a day, so a $3,000 fund lasts roughly 26 days.
United States is one of 199 countries in Wandurance's cost-of-living model for long-term travelers. The figures on this page use the same price index and daily-cost basket as the calculator, so what you see here is exactly what the calculator will tell you, before you adjust it for your own habits.
What a day costs in United States
Estimated daily spend by lifestyle tier. "Hub city" is a capital or major nomad city, which typically runs above the national average; "smaller town" is below it.
| Lifestyle | Hub city / day | Smaller town / day | Days on $3,000 (hub) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frugal | $49.85 | $35.54 | 60 |
| Normal | $113.14 | $80.67 | 26 |
| Lavish | $274.54 | $195.77 | 10 |
Where the money goes
Normal lifestyle, hub city. Coworking and connectivity is optional in the calculator and not included in the daily totals above.
| Category | Per day | Per 30 days | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation Find stays → | $71.21 | $2,136 | 63% |
| Food | $27.69 | $831 | 24% |
| Local transport | $9.49 | $285 | 8% |
| Basic medical | $4.75 | $143 | 4% |
| Total | $113.14 | $3,394 | 100% |
| Coworking & connectivity (optional add-on) | +$9.49 | +$285 | — |
How long your budget lasts in United States
Whole days, hub-city prices. Leftover money below one full day is not counted.
| Budget | Frugal | Normal | Lavish |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | 20 days | 8 days | 3 days |
| $2,000 | 40 days | 17 days | 7 days |
| $3,000 | 60 days | 26 days | 10 days |
| $5,000 | 100 days | 44 days | 18 days |
| $10,000 | 200 days | 88 days | 36 days |
Plan your stay in United States
Some links above are affiliate links. Wandurance may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked
How much does it cost per day in United States?
On Wandurance's model, a day in United States costs about $50 at a Frugal lifestyle, $113 at Normal and $275 at Lavish, in a major city. Smaller towns run roughly 29% less. These figures cover accommodation, food, local transport and basic medical costs; coworking and connectivity can be added separately.
How long will $3,000 last in United States?
About 26 days at a Normal lifestyle, 60 days if you travel Frugally, or 10 days at a Lavish level. Use the calculator to try your own budget.
Is United States cheap for digital nomads?
United States ranks 181st cheapest of the 199 countries Wandurance covers and is 49% more expensive than the average for Americas. That puts it in the pricier half of the world for long-term travel.
How are these estimates calculated?
Wandurance prices a fixed basket of daily costs at local purchasing power using a per-country price index derived from World Bank purchasing-power data, rather than raw exchange rates. United States's index is 68.8 (the United States is 68.8). The numbers are planning estimates, not quotes, and your own habits will move them.