Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, VA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Arlington, VA: $3,568 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

174

Cost of Living Index in Arlington, VA
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Arlington, VA Living Index
239

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

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Arlington, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,568

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arlington, VA 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 Arlington, VA and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,568 per month in Arlington, VA vs $4,950 in New York, NY, rent included.

Arlington, VA $3,568
New York, NY $4,950

A couple spends around $5,411 per month in Arlington, VA vs $7,265 in New York, NY, rent included.

Arlington, VA $5,411
New York, NY $7,265

A family of three spends $7,255 per month in Arlington, VA vs $9,581 in New York, NY, rent included.

Arlington, VA $7,255
New York, NY $9,581

Arlington, VA is about 28% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Arlington, VA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Arlington, VA by 164%, New York, NY by 267%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.97 $23.97

$24.65 $24.65

-2.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$122 $122

-18.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 $10.85

$13.91 $13.91

-22.00%

Cappuccino

$5.97 $5.97

$6.59 $6.59

-9.41%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$3.84 $3.84

-19.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.87 $2.87

-15.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.79 $7.79

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.93 $8.93

$9.85 $9.85

-9.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.38 $1.38

-9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$4.68 $4.68

-7.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$7.54 $7.54

-27.59%

Eggs

$5.24 $5.24

$5.93 $5.93

-11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.58 $21.58

$18.83 $18.83

14.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.93 $15.93

$17.36 $17.36

-8.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.20 $23.20

$18.51 $18.51

25.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$6.74 $6.74

-15.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.09 $2.09

-12.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$6.07 $6.07

-23.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$6.74 $6.74

-12.91%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.05 $4.05

-20.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$4.37 $4.37

-13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.89 $2.89

-19.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.60 $2.60

-5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 $10.36

$18.72 $18.72

-44.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.94 $16.94

$20.06 $20.06

-15.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.25 $3.25

-11.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$3.73 $3.73

-22.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.06 $3.06

-8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$122 $122

$140 $140

-13.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.04 $3.04

34.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.15 $2.15

-42.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.15 $25.15

$41.82 $41.82

-39.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.12 $1.12

-9.82%

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

$34.3K $34.3K

$35.5K $35.5K

-3.24%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.0K $26.0K

-3.02%

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

$165 $165

$219 $219

-24.61%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$73.2 $73.2

-30.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 $60.8

$72.0 $72.0

-15.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.2 $70.2

$123 $123

-42.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.96 $18.96

$67.7 $67.7

-71.98%

Cinema Ticket

$16.37 $16.37

$22.85 $22.85

-28.36%

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

$1,612 $1,612

$3,333 $3,333

-51.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.9K $35.9K

$60.0K $60.0K

-40.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$75.2 $75.2

-26.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 $62.6

$52.4 $52.4

19.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$122 $122

-15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 $161

$133 $133

21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,488 $2,488

$4,389 $4,389

-43.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 $1,987

$3,130 $3,130

-36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,810 $4,810

$8,918 $8,918

-46.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,596 $3,596

$5,354 $5,354

-32.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,380 $6,380

$19.4K $19.4K

-67.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,983 $4,983

$6,806 $6,806

-26.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,625 $6,625

$5,343 $5,343

24.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

6.82

-0.44%

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

Last update for Arlington, VA: October 12, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Arlington, VA

$2K 55.7%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2% 57.5% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Arlington, VA

$510 14.3%

New York, NY

$545 11% 6.8% $35

Eating Out

Arlington, VA

$376 10.5%

New York, NY

$404 8.2% 7.4% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arlington, VA

$277 7.8%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 31.6% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Arlington, VA

$172 4.8%

New York, NY

$172 3.5% 0% $0

Getting Around

Arlington, VA

$143 4%

New York, NY

$167 3.4% 16.1% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Arlington, VA

$103 2.9%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 63.6% $65

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,488 in Arlington, VA versus $4,389 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 24% higher in Arlington, VA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Arlington, VA versus $122 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $510 vs $545 – making Arlington, VA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Arlington, VA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

01:02 1:02 AM

Same time as Arlington, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

365,438

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Arlington, VA New York, NY 320 km

From you

Arlington, VA
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Arlington, VA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 39% more than Arlington, VA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,352 per month in Arlington, VA and $7,424 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 Arlington, VA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Arlington, VA and $122 in New York, NY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,568 in Arlington, VA and $4,950 in New York, NY. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arlington, VA costs $3,568 versus $4,950 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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