Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fargo, ND and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Fargo, ND: $2,127 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $33,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

102

Cost of Living Index in Fargo, ND
Learn more

Fargo, ND Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
Learn more

New York, NY Living Index

Jump to prices

Fargo, ND

🇺🇸 United States

$2,127

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,127 per month in Fargo, ND vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Fargo, ND $2,127
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $3,227 per month in Fargo, ND vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Fargo, ND $3,227
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $4,327 per month in Fargo, ND vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Fargo, ND $4,327
New York, NY $9,509

Fargo, ND is about 57% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Fargo, ND and New York, NY sit above the global median – Fargo, ND by 56%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.17 $17.17

$28.55 $28.55

-39.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$118 $118

-50.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 $11.95

$15.04 $15.04

-20.55%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$6.53 $6.53

-17.15%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$3.96 $3.96

-35.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$3.01 $3.01

-35.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.36 $5.36

$8.16 $8.16

-34.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$9.84 $9.84

-10.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.37 $1.37

-10.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$4.97 $4.97

-31.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$7.81 $7.81

-2.30%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$5.97 $5.97

-31.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.93 $14.93

$18.91 $18.91

-21.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.52 $15.52

$18.04 $18.04

-13.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.08 $21.08

$19.05 $19.05

10.66%

Apples (1kg)

$10.28 $10.28

$6.76 $6.76

52.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.27 $2.27

3.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.51 $6.51

$6.83 $6.83

-4.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$7.09 $7.09

-23.84%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$4.22 $4.22

20.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$4.65 $4.65

-19.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.87 $2.87

-32.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.60 $2.60

5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.60 $8.60

$18.77 $18.77

-54.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 $18.58

$20.13 $20.13

-7.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.45 $3.45

-24.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 $5.63

$4.02 $4.02

40.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.91 $2.91

-30.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.10 $42.10

$139 $139

-69.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.08 $3.08

48.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.17 $1.17

-17.09%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$34.5K $34.5K

-20.63%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

-1.97%

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

$138 $138

$219 $219

-36.97%

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

$58.1 $58.1

$74.2 $74.2

-21.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 $56.5

$70.2 $70.2

-19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 $52.0

$112 $112

-53.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 $13.96

$22.14 $22.14

-36.95%

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

$1,247 $1,247

$3,558 $3,558

-64.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.85 $49.85

$75.6 $75.6

-34.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.16 $47.16

$51.2 $51.2

-7.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 $84.2

$123 $123

-31.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$140 $140

-27.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 $1,013

$4,499 $4,499

-77.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 $790

$3,078 $3,078

-74.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 $1,627

$9,447 $9,447

-82.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$5,190 $5,190

-73.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,459 $2,459

$18.1K $18.1K

-86.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,688 $1,688

$6,693 $6,693

-74.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,858 $3,858

$5,220 $5,220

-26.09%

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 Fargo, ND: 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

Fargo, ND

$790 37.1%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 290% $2.3K

Groceries & Markets

Fargo, ND

$522 24.6%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 7.8% $41

Eating Out

Fargo, ND

$300 14.1%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 46.5% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fargo, ND

$253 11.9%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 43.9% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Fargo, ND

$127 6%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 38.3% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Fargo, ND

$80 3.8%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 95.6% $76

Getting Around

Fargo, ND

$55 * 2.6%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 200% $109

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,013 in Fargo, ND 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 35% 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 $59 in Fargo, ND versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $522 vs $563 – making Fargo, ND the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fargo, ND

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

06:07 6:07 AM

07:07 7:07 AM

1 h ahead of Fargo, ND

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

90,056

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Fargo, ND New York, NY 1,940 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Fargo, ND
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

Fargo, ND vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 132% more than Fargo, ND, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,191 per month in Fargo, ND 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 Fargo, ND, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,013 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59 in Fargo, ND and $118 in New York, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,127 in Fargo, ND and $4,941 in New York, NY. That makes Fargo, ND about 57% cheaper.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,127 in Fargo, ND and $4,941 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. Fargo, ND costs $2,127 versus $4,941 in New York, NY. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Fargo, ND. 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.