Cost of Living in New York

The cost of living in New York is 70% higher than the national average
Cost of Living in New York Compared to National Average
Housing (Buy and Rent) 200% higher
Utilities (Monthly) 13% higher
Food 13% higher
Healthcare 16% higher
Transportation 11% higher
Goods & Services 24% higher
Summary

The cost of living in New York is 70% higher than the national average. Housing is 200% higher than the national average, while utilities are 13% higher. When it comes to basic necessities such as food and clothing, groceries are around 13% higher than in the rest of the country, while clothing costs 24% higher.

Healthcare services such as doctor check-ups and dentistry cost 16% higher in New York compared to the national average. At the same time, non-necessary expenses such as entertainment and grooming services are 24% higher.

The Cost of Living in New York Largest Cities Compared to the National Average

This is how much pricier or cheaper it is to live in New York’s 12 largest cities compared to the national average.
The cost of living in New York varies depending on the city you live in. The priciest city in New York is Manhattan, where the cost of living is 36% higher compared to the state average and 131% higher than in the rest of the U.S. The cheapest major city in New York is Ilion, with a cost of living 45% lower below the state average and 7% lower than the national average.
City, State Compared to State Average Compared to National Average
Manhattan, NY 36% higher 131% higher
New York City, NY 2% higher 74% higher
Brooklyn, NY 5% lower 61% higher
Queens, NY 12% lower 50% higher
Hempstead, NY 20% lower 36% higher
Poughkeepsie, NY 32% lower 16% higher
Albany, NY 38% lower 5% higher
Syracuse, NY 39% lower 3% higher
Ithaca, NY 40% lower 1% higher
Oneonta, NY 41% lower 0%
Rochester, NY 42% lower 1% lower
Utica, NY 44% lower 4% lower
Buffalo, NY 44% lower 4% lower
Ilion, NY 45% lower 7% lower
What is a cost of living calculator?

The cost of living calculator tells you how much money you need to maintain your current standard of living in a different city. The cost of living comparison is based on your income and the price of basic necessities such as housing, transportation or food in the two cities you selected. Use the calculator to find out what income you will need in a new city and how much more or less you’ll need to budget for basic expenses.

Where does the data come from?

Consumer goods, services and home prices are sourced from The Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).
The data on this page is updated bi-annually and it was last published in September 2025.

Average rent data is our in-house proprietary data from Yardi Matrix, where available. For the remaining locations, C2ER rent data was used. Yardi Matrix is a business development and asset management tool for brokers, sponsors, banks and equity sources underwriting investments in the multifamily, office, industrial and self-storage sectors, a division of Yardi Systems, Inc.

Household income data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent estimates.

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