Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Davis, CA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Davis, CA: $3,316 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

161

Cost of Living Index in Davis, CA
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Davis, CA Living Index
239

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

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Davis, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,316

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,316 per month in Davis, CA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Davis, CA $3,316
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,712 per month in Davis, CA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Davis, CA $4,712
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $6,107 per month in Davis, CA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Davis, CA $6,107
New York, NY $9,509

Davis, CA is about 33% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Davis, CA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Davis, CA by 144%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.69 $22.69

$28.55 $28.55

-20.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$118 $118

-15.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 $12.87

$15.04 $15.04

-14.43%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$6.53 $6.53

-23.12%

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

$3.57 $3.57

$3.96 $3.96

-9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.01 $3.01

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$8.16 $8.16

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 $8.15

$9.84 $9.84

-17.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.37 $1.37

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$4.97 $4.97

-23.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$7.81 $7.81

-46.22%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$5.97 $5.97

-14.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 $11.06

$18.91 $18.91

-41.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.66 $15.66

$18.04 $18.04

-13.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.26 $17.26

$19.05 $19.05

-9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$6.76 $6.76

-23.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.27 $2.27

-27.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.83 $6.83

-36.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$7.09 $7.09

-32.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$4.22 $4.22

-34.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.65 $4.65

-33.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.87 $2.87

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.60 $2.60

-14.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.67 $10.67

$18.77 $18.77

-43.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 $16.12

$20.13 $20.13

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.45 $3.45

-36.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.02 $4.02

-14.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.91 $2.91

-49.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.27 $37.27

$139 $139

-73.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.08 $3.08

10.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.12 $2.12

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.75 $29.75

$41.96 $41.96

-29.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.17 $1.17

18.80%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$34.5K $34.5K

-19.80%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.9K $25.9K

-3.10%

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

$289 $289

$219 $219

31.84%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$74.2 $74.2

-21.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$70.2 $70.2

10.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.16 $43.16

$112 $112

-61.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$15.40 $15.40

$22.14 $22.14

-30.44%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$3,558 $3,558

-60.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$62.2K $62.2K

-60.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$75.6 $75.6

-28.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 $41.13

$51.2 $51.2

-19.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 $94.9

$123 $123

-22.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$140 $140

-17.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 $1,743

$4,499 $4,499

-61.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 $1,836

$3,078 $3,078

-40.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,453 $3,453

$9,447 $9,447

-63.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$5,190 $5,190

-45.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,834 $2,834

$18.1K $18.1K

-84.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,209 $4,209

$6,693 $6,693

-37.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,088 $5,088

$5,220 $5,220

-2.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.86

-11.08%

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

Last update for Davis, CA: October 24, 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

Davis, CA

$1.8K 55.4%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 67.7% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Davis, CA

$429 12.9%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 31.2% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Davis, CA

$425 12.8%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 14.5% $62

Eating Out

Davis, CA

$361 10.9%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 22% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Davis, CA

$137 4.1%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 27.7% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Davis, CA

$74 2.2%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 111% $82

Getting Around

Davis, CA

$54 1.6%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 203% $110

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,743 in Davis, CA 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 3% 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 $100 in Davis, CA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 vs $563 – making Davis, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Davis, CA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

05:51 5:51 AM

08:51 8:51 AM

3 h ahead of Davis, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,850

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Davis, CA New York, NY 4,030 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Davis, CA
New York, NY

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Davis, CA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 49%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,975 per month in Davis, CA 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 Davis, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,743 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,316 in Davis, CA and $4,941 in New York, NY. That makes Davis, CA about 33% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Davis, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,316 in Davis, CA 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 Davis, CA – 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 Davis, CA. 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.