Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, WA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Auburn, WA: $2,589 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $28,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, WA
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Auburn, WA Living Index
239

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

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Auburn, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,589

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,589 per month in Auburn, WA vs $4,938 in New York, NY, rent included.

Auburn, WA $2,589
New York, NY $4,938

A couple spends around $4,092 per month in Auburn, WA vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

Auburn, WA $4,092
New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $5,595 per month in Auburn, WA vs $9,608 in New York, NY, rent included.

Auburn, WA $5,595
New York, NY $9,608

Auburn, WA is about 48% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Auburn, WA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Auburn, WA by 91%, New York, NY by 264%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$24.99 $24.99

-21.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 $96.2

$120 $120

-20.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 $11.71

$13.74 $13.74

-14.77%

Cappuccino

$4.46 $4.46

$6.60 $6.60

-32.42%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$3.82 $3.82

-46.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.87 $2.87

-29.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$7.95 $7.95

-37.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$10.06 $10.06

-28.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.37 $1.37

-35.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 $2.56

$4.75 $4.75

-46.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$7.69 $7.69

-51.24%

Eggs

$3.04 $3.04

$5.87 $5.87

-48.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$19.25 $19.25

-55.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.75 $13.75

$17.83 $17.83

-22.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.56 $18.56

$19.03 $19.03

-2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$6.69 $6.69

-29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.29 $2.29

-21.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$6.41 $6.41

-40.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$6.75 $6.75

-38.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.93 $3.93

-20.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$4.52 $4.52

-27.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.79 $2.79

-34.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.51 $2.51

-15.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.79 $10.79

$18.10 $18.10

-40.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$20.16 $20.16

-25.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.26 $3.26

-47.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.75 $3.75

-22.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 $143

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.06 $3.06

15.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.16 $2.16

-14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.2 $50.2

$41.33 $41.33

21.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.12 $1.12

16.07%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$33.1K $33.1K

-22.70%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$25.7K $25.7K

-4.67%

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

$216 $216

$219 $219

-1.29%

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

$40.51 $40.51

$75.3 $75.3

-46.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 $79.5

$70.5 $70.5

12.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.39 $34.39

$116 $116

-70.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$21.37 $21.37

-30.88%

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

$1,077 $1,077

$3,432 $3,432

-68.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$61.7K $61.7K

-72.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$74.9 $74.9

-25.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.82 $46.82

$52.1 $52.1

-10.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$117 $117

-32.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 $81.3

$135 $135

-39.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 $1,470

$4,347 $4,347

-66.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$3,117 $3,117

-55.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 $2,298

$9,110 $9,110

-74.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 $2,844

$5,379 $5,379

-47.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,864 $6,864

$5,238 $5,238

31.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.85

-3.80%

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

Last update for Auburn, WA: October 20, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Auburn, WA

$1.4K 53.4%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1% 126% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Auburn, WA

$375 14.5%

New York, NY

$552 11.2% 47.2% $177

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Auburn, WA

$336 13%

New York, NY

$365 7.4% 8.5% $29

Eating Out

Auburn, WA

$301 11.6%

New York, NY

$407 8.2% 35% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Auburn, WA

$118 4.6%

New York, NY

$170 3.5% 44.1% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Auburn, WA

$64 2.5%

New York, NY

$158 3.2% 148% $94

Getting Around

Auburn, WA

$13 * 0.5%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 1218% $155

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,470 in Auburn, WA versus $4,347 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 31% higher in Auburn, WA, 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 $96.0 in Auburn, WA versus $120 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $552 – making Auburn, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Auburn, WA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

10:28 10:28 AM

13:28 1:28 PM

3 h ahead of Auburn, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,143

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Auburn, WA New York, NY 3,850 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Auburn, WA
New York, NY

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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

Auburn, WA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 91% more than Auburn, WA, 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 $3,884 per month in Auburn, WA and $7,407 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 Auburn, WA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,589 in Auburn, WA and $4,938 in New York, NY. That's a gap of about 91%.

Kindergarten costs $1,077 per month in Auburn, WA and $3,432 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Auburn, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,589, than in New York, NY at $4,938. In Auburn, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Auburn, WA costs $2,589 versus $4,938 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Auburn, WA. 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.