Brooklyn vs Lincoln
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Brooklyn
Lincoln
The Verdict
Lincoln is 109.7% less expensive than Brooklyn overall. A household earning $75,000 in Brooklyn would need approximately $35,769 in Lincoln to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Brooklyn has the same purchasing power as $35,769 in Lincoln.
Conversely, $75,000 in Lincoln equals $157,258 in Brooklyn.
Living in Brooklyn vs Lincoln
Housing Costs
Brooklyn's housing index of 325 is higher Lincoln's 77, translating to median home prices of $780,000 vs $264,000. The $516,000 difference in home prices means roughly $33,540 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $2,900/mo in Brooklyn compared to $1,075/mo in Lincoln, a monthly difference of $1,825.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 108 in Brooklyn and 98 in Lincoln. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $513/month in Brooklyn vs $466/month in Lincoln. Lincoln offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $564/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 135 in Brooklyn and 93 in Lincoln. Monthly utility bills average approximately $540 in Brooklyn vs $372 in Lincoln. Climate differences between the two cities drive much of this gap, with heating and cooling costs varying substantially by region.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 108 in Brooklyn and 102 in Lincoln. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $65,294 in Brooklyn and $71,900 in Lincoln. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $33,484 and $77,312 respectively. Lincoln residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,524/month to housing in Brooklyn vs $1,678/month in Lincoln. In Brooklyn, median rent of $2,900/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Lincoln, median rent of $1,075/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 248 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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