Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Allentown, PA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Allentown, PA: $2,765 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $26,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

132

Cost of Living Index in Allentown, PA
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Allentown, PA Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Allentown, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,765

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Allentown, PA and in New York, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Allentown, PA and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,765 per month in Allentown, PA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Allentown, PA $2,765
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $3,896 per month in Allentown, PA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Allentown, PA $3,896
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,027 per month in Allentown, PA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Allentown, PA $5,027
New York, NY $9,509

Allentown, PA is about 44% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Allentown, PA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Allentown, PA by 103%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$28.55 $28.55

-30.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.8 $91.8

$118 $118

-22.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$15.04 $15.04

-18.68%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.53 $6.53

-14.24%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.96 $3.96

-33.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$3.01 $3.01

-47.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 $4.92

$8.16 $8.16

-39.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$9.84 $9.84

-40.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.37 $1.37

-13.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 $2.10

$4.97 $4.97

-57.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$7.81 $7.81

-68.89%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$5.97 $5.97

-38.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 $15.62

$18.91 $18.91

-17.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 $8.37

$18.04 $18.04

-53.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.95 $18.95

$19.05 $19.05

-0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$6.76 $6.76

0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.27 $2.27

-27.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$6.83 $6.83

-58.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$7.09 $7.09

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$4.22 $4.22

-36.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$4.65 $4.65

-29.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.87 $2.87

-22.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.60 $2.60

-2.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.71 $11.71

$18.77 $18.77

-37.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$20.13 $20.13

-26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$3.45 $3.45

-32.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$4.02 $4.02

-32.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.91 $2.91

-12.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$139 $139

-56.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.08 $3.08

-4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.12 $2.12

3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$41.96 $41.96

-1.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.17 $1.17

-5.98%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.2K $27.2K

$34.5K $34.5K

-21.05%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.43%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$188 $188

$219 $219

-14.29%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$54.2 $54.2

$74.2 $74.2

-26.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$70.2 $70.2

0.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.16 $30.16

$112 $112

-73.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.42 $25.42

$74.9 $74.9

-66.04%

Cinema Ticket

$13.03 $13.03

$22.14 $22.14

-41.15%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,204 $1,204

$3,558 $3,558

-66.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$62.2K $62.2K

-81.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.88 $37.88

$75.6 $75.6

-49.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 $51.3

$51.2 $51.2

0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$123 $123

-27.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$140 $140

-15.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 $1,668

$4,499 $4,499

-62.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 $1,470

$3,078 $3,078

-52.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,481 $2,481

$9,447 $9,447

-73.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 $2,048

$5,190 $5,190

-60.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,166 $2,166

$18.1K $18.1K

-88.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,905 $1,905

$6,693 $6,693

-71.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,074 $3,074

$5,220 $5,220

-41.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.86

-6.27%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Allentown, PA: October 25, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Allentown, PA

$1.5K 53.2%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 110% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Allentown, PA

$392 14.2%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 43.8% $171

Eating Out

Allentown, PA

$315 11.4%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 39.6% $125

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Allentown, PA

$313 11.3%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 16.3% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Allentown, PA

$134 4.8%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 31.3% $42

Getting Around

Allentown, PA

$85 3.1%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 92.9% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Allentown, PA

$56 2%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 178% $100

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,668 in Allentown, PA versus $4,499 in New York, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 70% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92 in Allentown, PA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $563 – making Allentown, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Allentown, PA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

16:39 4:39 PM

Same time as Allentown, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

120,443

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Allentown, PA New York, NY 110 km

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Allentown, PA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 79% more than Allentown, PA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,147 per month in Allentown, PA and $7,412 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Allentown, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,668 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Allentown, PA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,204 per month in Allentown, PA and $3,558 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,765 in Allentown, PA and $4,941 in New York, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Allentown, PA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Allentown, PA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.