Cost of Living in New York

Summary of cost of living in New York, NY, United States:

Restaurants
Edit Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 30.00 $ 15.00-55.00
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 130.00 $ 100.00-200.00
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) 12.00 $ 10.00-15.00
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) 8.25 $ 6.00-12.00
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 10.00 $ 8.00-15.00
Cappuccino (regular) 5.70 $ 4.00-10.00
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) 2.98 $ 2.00-5.00
Water (12 oz small bottle) 2.27 $ 1.99-4.00
Markets
Edit
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) 5.61 $ 3.79-8.00
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) 4.29 $ 2.99-8.98
Rice (white), (1 lb) 3.25 $ 1.50-5.00
Eggs (regular) (12) 5.62 $ 2.50-9.10
Local Cheese (1 lb) 7.65 $ 4.17-14.00
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) 7.22 $ 3.25-11.31
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) 9.04 $ 5.00-15.00
Apples (1 lb) 3.11 $ 1.00-5.00
Banana (1 lb) 0.93 $ 0.60-3.00
Oranges (1 lb) 2.67 $ 0.91-6.00
Tomato (1 lb) 2.82 $ 0.99-4.99
Potato (1 lb) 1.85 $ 0.50-4.00
Onion (1 lb) 1.71 $ 0.80-4.00
Lettuce (1 head) 2.88 $ 1.00-5.00
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.45 $ 1.25-4.00
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 20.00 $ 11.00-30.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 2.39 $ 1.73-4.00
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) 3.83 $ 2.00-6.00
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) 17.00 $ 14.99-20.00
Transportation
Edit
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 2.90 $ 2.90-2.90
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 132.00 $ 127.00-143.48
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 5.00 $ 3.50-7.00
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) 3.25 $ 2.00-5.25
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 30.00 $ 30.00-30.00
Gasoline (1 gallon) 3.86 $ 3.25-5.00
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 28,000.00 $ 25,000.00-36,344.69
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) 25,886.68 $ 22,000.00-28,000.00
Utilities (Monthly)
Edit
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment 163.26 $ 100.00-250.00
Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data 60.82 $ 30.00-95.00
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 68.77 $ 50.00-100.00
Sports And Leisure
Edit
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 117.59 $ 35.00-230.00
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 65.83 $ 30.00-100.00
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 20.00 $ 15.50-25.00
Childcare
Edit
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child 3,057.95 $ 1,600.00-5,000.00
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child 63,250.00 $ 58,000.00-70,000.00
Clothing And Shoes
Edit
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 69.36 $ 45.00-100.00
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 45.42 $ 25.00-70.00
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) 98.73 $ 75.00-150.00
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes 164.24 $ 100.00-300.00
Rent Per Month
Edit
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 4,116.53 $ 3,000.00-5,500.00
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 2,767.93 $ 1,800.00-4,000.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 8,206.74 $ 6,000.00-15,000.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 4,301.54 $ 3,000.00-7,000.00
Buy Apartment Price
Edit
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre 1,570.81 $ 999.99-2,499.98
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 1,164.67 $ 869.99-1,858.05
Salaries And Financing
Edit
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) 6,305.73 $
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate 6.65 5.75-7.92

Prices in New York, New York

This city had 2057 entries in the past 12 months by 498 different contributors.
Last update: March 2024
Sources and References
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
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29 Comments so far
Angel on Mar 08, 2024:
I might just live in keya now since i heard that was a lot more cheaper
Anonymous on Feb 07, 2024:
New York is too old and need a lot of reconstructions.
Sobhan on Aug 01, 2023:
Hi my name is sobhan Abbasi my 13 years old lm from Iran in zanjan
Max on Jun 13, 2023:
>Mark on Jun 07, 2023<
Putin's rubbish, leave your propaganda for cattle from beyond the Urals and go to the trenches to die as soon as possible
Mark on Jun 07, 2023:
I Mark moved my family from the USA for 3 years to the Russian Federation, as it is impossible to live in NY because of the increase in prices for food, heating, fuel and, of course, crowds of brazen migrants who live on welfare and rob and mock local residents, and the authorities only indulge them for votes in elections. Now we have been living in Moscow for 4 years and this city is a thousand times better than NY. No wonder UN experts recognize Moscow best metropolis in terms of quality of life! Moscow has been name the best in the world in terms of infrastructure development and quality of life according to UN-Habitat's City Prosperity Index.. Haters can write anything, but the fact remains anyway!
Don on Oct 25, 2022:
so what folks in NY employees does not offer parking space for workers if you all talking about public transport? I though these are only for homeless and students.
Brooklyner on Sep 24, 2022:
@confused—the minimum wage is $15 per hour, which works out to $31,200 annually before taxes. Most people are living paycheck to paycheck, but there’s so much wealth concentrated in New York that the average salary is totally skewed. So while 75% of people are living on $50,000 or less, the top 5%—hedge fund managers, Wall Street brokers, lawyers, software engineers—make so much more than everyone else that it seems like the average New Yorker is a lot richer than they actually are.
Joy nelson on Sep 23, 2022:
it's good and some of them are high prices
Ash on Sep 09, 2022:
Anon from Aug 25 — your country is made up of foreigners, stupid.
Anonymous on Aug 25, 2022:
U S government shouldn't allow Ukrainians into our country. The biggest problem is the u s government never asks American citizens if we want it. It's not up to the u s government to allow foreigners into our country never was. Those people they let into the u s weren't even vetted.
confused on Apr 11, 2022:
the guy who started off at 40k in 2014 with roommates did very well he said and now makes 64k and still was able to save money.
what is the minimum wage in NY??
i read it is 13 dollars and 20 cents an hour.
so how much is that YEARLY?
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/new-york-minimum-wage-and-salary-7981936/#:~:text=Workers%20in%20New%20York%20City%20employed%20by%20businesses%20with%2010,hour%20(up%20from%20%2414.00).

the average yearly salary for new yorkers is 35,000 per year. yes, thats HALF of what that college graduate makes at 64k.
so if the average salary for people statistically is 35k a year, then there are TONS of people living in new york with a home.
Stuck In Columbus on Mar 22, 2022:
I saw a few comments trying to debunk some of the myths about people living in NYC comfortably on like a $65k salary, but they all skimmed over the part where the people travel. This page focuses on one aspect of New York and it does a great job of it so I think the people who make it work are using other aspects to their advantage. With the cost of living so high in NYC, residents can actually use travel to reduce their yearly expenses by taking extended trips to places with a much much lower cost of living. There are a bunch of other pages with valuable info about NYC that also have to be used to make a plan of attack. If it's not obvious already, I've never been to NYC, but I've lived in 3 different cities and chose a different lifestyle for each one. I'm planning on moving to NYC in the next year, and I know my Ohio lifestyle won't work, so I adapt. Wish me luck in finding the crappiest apartment possible!
ozai on Oct 13, 2021:
Unless you're born with a golden spoon in your mouth to a millionaire daddy, don't come here.
If the job offer is less than $6,000 NET after tax, don't come here.
The stress and pace of life alone are guaranteed to kill you, let alone the cost of living and inflation.
I see dog moms in their mid twenties looking like 40 year olds walking the streets of NY like zombies. It's tough, it's depressing, it's lonely, it's very expensive and it will consume you slowly. You've been warned.
On a side note, yesterday I was at a Turkish coffee shop here in the backwards of Queens. I bought a small regular coffee and a Turkish delight piece the size of an airpod case cut into 4 little pieces and paid 10 USD TOTAL plus tip. The coffee shop is on Queens Boulevard, arguably the shittiest boulevard in Northern America.
I sat on the sidewalk and stared at my order and I was like Poor America, it could've saved itself, but chose not to.
Julie Bryan on Jun 10, 2021:
I'm a student and wish to study at NYC,and with all what I'm seeing here,ion think this will be easy for me,cause no support from anyone since i lost my family,please any advice or better options you guys can gimme.......(409)-292-3527.
Anonymous on May 01, 2021:
Thank God!I am in Kenya. Where I get clean water for free and almost all the food mentioned above goes for less than one dollar per kg..After seeing the cost of living there I honestly have no desire to ever go to NYC..
Anonymous on Dec 19, 2020:
NYC has turned into a ghost town in more than one way. But on a positive note covid19 has adjusted the population somewhat,a good thing.
Anonymous on Dec 05, 2020:
Poor example... no toilet paper you can’t even clean your butt
Daniel Robert Phipps on Nov 25, 2020:
how does the cost of living compare to Chicago, L.A. or Paris?
Che on Oct 08, 2020:
Rents came down in NYC over past few months. A lot of kids moved out as a result of the pandemic. A studio, which went for $3,500 a month at the beginning of 2020, goes for $2,400 now.
The City is kind of desolate now. Before the pandemic you needed $125k a year plus $50k bonus to live a decent single life. Now, you can do it just for the salary, kind of, without the bonus. The entertainment options are limited. Good luck to all.
Atcha on Aug 23, 2020:
Does anyone know what's the reasonable salary for a single person to live okay in New York City? I'm talking about living in studio/1 bedroom apt, nothing fancy but safe/clean/nice environment with enough room to breath (300-400 sqf)? Cook your own food and minimum entertainment?
Anonymous NYC resident on Jun 15, 2020:
Very interesting but you have missed a bit like ##anonymous said. This was wonderful and very helpful for I am doing a cost of living presentation and this gives me a chance to compare, share, and pick which country you would like. But also, I've lived in NYC my entire life, and this place is definitely not for everybody. Now, this maybe a little ‘eeeeee!’ But hear me out, If you are okay with riding shoulder to shoulder on public transportation, people trying to sell you things everywhere you look, homeless people in every corner, then you'll love this place. There is no place in this country as diverse as NYC. If you are a minority you wont face many racial issues here. Another great benefit is that there is always something to do here. But beware doing practically ANYTHING costs a fortune so expect to spend money if you want to have fun!

If you are not built for the New York lifestyle, don't come here because this place will knock you away (lit).
Anonymous NY resident on Jun 13, 2020:
I moved to New Jersey instead of New York because it is so expensive to live and eat. Most of the horror stories below are real and the fellow that lives off 64K a year must be living on the street or be a student.

While expensive, if you make over 150K a year, a family of two can have a comfortable life in downtown NY, otherwise you will have to commute for an hour+ from the Long Island side or from New Jersey, where I live.

However, the beauty of NY, opposite than any other country I have lived and worked in, is that it pays good salaries for educated folks. Companies pay a premium and also pay for your visa if you know how to play the game. So look at what high paying jobs are in need and in 4 years or less, you can move to Manhattan, although I would never want to live in Manhattan! You will develop psychological problems guaranteed!
anonymous on Jun 01, 2020:
So I've lived in NYC my entire life, and I can confidently say this place is not for everybody. If you are okay with small apartments costing 2x-4x more than most places, riding shoulder to shoulder on public transportation, people trying to sell you things everywhere you look, homeless people in every corner, dealing with roaches and rats being among the least of your worries, then you'll love this place. Expect to get into a fist fight at least once or twice or some form of altercation. Oh and to top it all off everything costs twice as much! With that being said there are some great benefits to living in this city, there is no place in this country as diverse as New York City. If you are a minority you wont face many racial issues here (excluding NYPD). Another great benefit is that there is always something to do here whether its go to a bar, restaurant, club, etc there's always something going on and you can expect a decent turnout anywhere you go but beware doing practically anything costs a fortune so expect to spend money if you want to have fun.

If you are not built for the New York lifestyle, do yourself a favor and don't come here because this place will dismantle you.
#anonymous on May 28, 2020:
good article but hey, where are things about the average salary of a doctor? or a builder? or what about how much it costs to go to middle school and high school? I mean, you kinda missed some stuff!
Anonymous on May 23, 2020:
RENT IN CITY CENTER ONE BEDROOM is not less than $5000

Not sure why all data comes from our country are way off!!!!!
Join Leaf on May 03, 2020:
This is one of the best articles I have seen in a long time! Thank you for sharing~

https://www.joinleaf.com/cities/new-york/
Abraham on May 02, 2020:
Can you please let me know if people with disabilities and who have family of four with young kids would have any kind of help to live in New York City. I am thinking maybe a subsidized housing or low income Housing? is it possible to find one? if there’s a waiting list, how long there would it take?
Peg on Mar 04, 2020:
How much is cost of living for a couple in Manhattan?if they pay a rent of 5000-6000/monthly.is the salary of 120k/150k enough to have a 5000-6000k apartment in Manhattan and be able to live comfortably?
NYC +- on Mar 03, 2020:
When I was child I loved New York.

But now I don't like it very much because of these reasons:
1. So many old and ugly apartments and other buildings that many of them are in Manhattan (and very near to some of world's biggest attractions)
2. Weak urban architecture as the biggest urban area in the world
3. so many mice and beetles
4. little positive changes in the city like constructing suitable streets and highways for 21st century
5. constructing skyscrapers in small streets that really need to expand in width
6. high level of crime (in comparison with some big cities of the world)
7. No power against natural disasters like flood.

and etc

Is there anyone (specially from New York) who is not agree with me?

.