Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Washington, DC 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Washington, DC is 9.9% lower than in New York, NY (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Washington, DC is 19.4% lower than in New York, NY | |
| Rent Prices in Washington, DC are 30.7% lower than in New York, NY | |
| Restaurant Prices in Washington, DC are 7.1% lower than in New York, NY | |
| Groceries Prices in Washington, DC are 6.5% lower than in New York, NY | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Washington, DC is 45.5% higher than in New York, NY | |
Restaurants | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 25.00 $ | 25.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 140.00 $ | 115.00 $ | -17.9 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 14.00 $ | 12.00 $ | -14.3 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 8.00 $ | 8.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 10.00 $ | 10.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.75 $ | 6.14 $ | +6.8 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.85 $ | 3.41 $ | +19.4 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 2.50 $ | 2.73 $ | +9.1 % |
Markets | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.30 $ | 1.13 $ | -13.1 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 4.26 $ | 3.94 $ | -7.3 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 3.46 $ | 3.11 $ | -10.1 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 6.88 $ | 4.77 $ | -30.7 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 7.75 $ | 7.29 $ | -5.9 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.72 $ | 7.93 $ | +18.1 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 9.04 $ | 8.95 $ | -1.0 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.95 $ | 3.00 $ | +1.7 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 1.10 $ | 0.90 $ | -18.5 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.55 $ | 2.34 $ | -8.2 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 2.72 $ | 2.72 $ | -0.0 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.43 $ | 1.36 $ | -5.2 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.57 $ | 1.69 $ | +8.0 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 2.93 $ | 2.50 $ | -14.5 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.49 $ | 2.44 $ | -2.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 18.00 $ | 16.00 $ | -11.1 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 3.56 $ | 3.28 $ | -7.8 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 4.28 $ | 5.50 $ | +28.5 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 19.00 $ | 13.94 $ | -26.6 % |
Transportation | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 $ | 2.75 $ | -8.3 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 134.00 $ | 117.50 $ | -12.3 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.00 $ | 4.00 $ | +33.3 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 3.50 $ | 2.56 $ | -26.9 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 42.00 $ | 25.00 $ | -40.5 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 0.88 $ | 0.87 $ | -1.6 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 35,458.00 $ | 36,375.00 $ | +2.6 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 25,768.64 $ | 26,366.59 $ | +2.3 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 194.25 $ | 199.50 $ | +2.7 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 65.68 $ | 66.68 $ | +1.5 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 66.83 $ | 70.48 $ | +5.4 % |
Sports And Leisure | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 110.38 $ | 117.50 $ | +6.5 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 68.00 $ | 74.17 $ | +9.1 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 22.00 $ | 17.25 $ | -21.6 % |
Childcare | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 3,388.54 $ | 3,106.00 $ | -8.3 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 58,729.88 $ | 40,477.67 $ | -31.1 % |
Clothing And Shoes | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 68.86 $ | 75.58 $ | +9.8 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 55.31 $ | 47.75 $ | -13.7 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 116.87 $ | 104.57 $ | -10.5 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 158.67 $ | 150.72 $ | -5.0 % |
Rent Per Month | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 4,440.11 $ | 2,642.32 $ | -40.5 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,739.42 $ | 2,109.74 $ | -23.0 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 8,853.95 $ | 5,368.00 $ | -39.4 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 4,918.42 $ | 4,404.17 $ | -10.5 % |
Buy Apartment Price | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,915.09 $ | 813.14 $ | -57.5 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 802.60 $ | 366.32 $ | -54.4 % |
Salaries And Financing | New York, NY Edit |
Washington, DC Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,237.24 $ | 6,145.86 $ | +17.3 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.67 | 6.44 | -3.5 % |
| Last update: | 13 February 2026 | 12 February 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 273 | 79 | |
Moving to New York, NY? Explore:
Moving to Washington, DC? Explore:
Cities near New York, NY: | Cost of Living in Jersey City, New Jersey | 4.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Rutherford, New Jersey | 10.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Rutherford, New Jersey | 10.22 miles |
| Cost of Living in Newark, New Jersey | 11.63 miles |
| Cost of Living in Paterson, New Jersey | 17.95 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bergen County, New Jersey | 20.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hempstead, New York | 22.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in West Caldwell, New Jersey | 23.56 miles |
| Cost of Living in Woodbridge, New Jersey | 25.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in Glen Cove, New York | 30.15 miles |
Cities near Washington, DC: | Cost of Living in Arlington, Virginia | 4.38 miles |
| Cost of Living in Chevy Chase, Maryland | 7.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Springfield, Virginia | 13.51 miles |
| Cost of Living in Rockville, Maryland | 17.91 miles |
| Cost of Living in Baltimore, Maryland | 38.92 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fredericksburg, Virginia | 52.45 miles |
| Cost of Living in Lexington Park, Maryland | 61.00 miles |
| Cost of Living in Richmond, Virginia | 106.83 miles |
| Cost of Living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 113.70 miles |
| Cost of Living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | 117.62 miles |