Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fresno, CA: $2,811 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $25,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

136

Cost of Living Index in Fresno, CA
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Fresno, 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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Fresno, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,811

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,811 per month in Fresno, CA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Fresno, CA $2,811
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,028 per month in Fresno, CA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Fresno, CA $4,028
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,244 per month in Fresno, CA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Fresno, CA $5,244
New York, NY $9,509

Fresno, CA is about 43% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fresno, CA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Fresno, CA by 107%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 $19.74

$28.55 $28.55

-30.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 $71.0

$118 $118

-40.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.89 $13.89

$15.04 $15.04

-7.65%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$6.53 $6.53

-22.66%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$3.96 $3.96

-26.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.01 $3.01

-30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 $7.02

$8.16 $8.16

-13.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.12 $9.12

$9.84 $9.84

-7.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.37 $1.37

-18.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.97 $4.97

-45.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$7.81 $7.81

-39.82%

Eggs

$5.47 $5.47

$5.97 $5.97

-8.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 $10.97

$18.91 $18.91

-41.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 $9.73

$18.04 $18.04

-46.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.57 $15.57

$19.05 $19.05

-18.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$6.76 $6.76

-24.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.27 $2.27

-14.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$6.83 $6.83

-34.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$7.09 $7.09

-52.19%

Potato (1kg)

$7.91 $7.91

$4.22 $4.22

87.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$4.65 $4.65

-41.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.87 $2.87

-18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.60 $2.60

15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$18.77 $18.77

-37.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 $17.73

$20.13 $20.13

-11.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.45 $3.45

-36.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 $6.56

$4.02 $4.02

63.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.91 $2.91

-66.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.47 $44.47

$139 $139

-67.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.08 $3.08

37.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.12 $2.12

-27.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.17 $27.17

$41.96 $41.96

-35.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.17 $1.17

25.64%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$34.5K $34.5K

-20.54%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

7.30%

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

$237 $237

$219 $219

8.20%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$74.2 $74.2

-29.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$70.2 $70.2

9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.14 $33.14

$112 $112

-70.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.19 $42.19

$74.9 $74.9

-43.64%

Cinema Ticket

$17.41 $17.41

$22.14 $22.14

-21.36%

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

$1,191 $1,191

$3,558 $3,558

-66.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K $13.0K

$62.2K $62.2K

-79.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 $60.2

$75.6 $75.6

-20.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.07 $43.07

$51.2 $51.2

-15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 $95.0

$123 $123

-22.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 $172

$140 $140

22.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 $1,568

$4,499 $4,499

-65.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 $1,403

$3,078 $3,078

-54.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$9,447 $9,447

-76.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$5,190 $5,190

-57.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,602 $2,602

$18.1K $18.1K

-85.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,070 $3,070

$6,693 $6,693

-54.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,818 $3,818

$5,220 $5,220

-26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

6.86

-6.71%

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

Last update for Fresno, CA: October 26, 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

Fresno, CA

$1.4K 49.9%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 119% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Fresno, CA

$413 14.7%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 36.4% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fresno, CA

$367 13.1%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 0.9% $3.2

Eating Out

Fresno, CA

$334 11.9%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 31.9% $107

Clothing & Footwear

Fresno, CA

$166 5.9%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 5.4% $8.9

Sport & Entertainment

Fresno, CA

$68 2.4%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 130% $88

Getting Around

Fresno, CA

$60 2.1%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 173% $104

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,568 in Fresno, 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 37% 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 $71 in Fresno, CA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $563 – making Fresno, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fresno, CA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

18:31 6:31 PM

21:31 9:31 PM

3 h ahead of Fresno, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

520,052

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

Fresno, CA New York, NY 3,940 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Fresno, 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

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

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,217 per month in Fresno, 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 Fresno, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,568 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Fresno, CA 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 $2,811 in Fresno, CA and $4,941 in New York, NY. That makes Fresno, CA about 43% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,811 in Fresno, 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 Fresno, 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 Fresno, 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.