Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fullerton, CA: $3,507 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $17,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

169

Cost of Living Index in Fullerton, CA
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Fullerton, 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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Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,507

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,507 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $4,938 in New York, NY, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $3,507
New York, NY $4,938

A couple spends around $5,392 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $5,392
New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $7,276 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $9,608 in New York, NY, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $7,276
New York, NY $9,608

Fullerton, CA is about 29% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fullerton, CA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Fullerton, CA by 159%, New York, NY by 264%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.09 $25.09

$24.99 $24.99

0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$120 $120

-34.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 $11.35

$13.74 $13.74

-17.39%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$6.60 $6.60

-13.33%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$3.82 $3.82

-26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.87 $2.87

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.95 $7.95

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.81 $9.81

$10.06 $10.06

-2.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.37 $1.37

2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$5.10 $5.10

$4.75 $4.75

7.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$7.69 $7.69

-43.56%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.87 $5.87

-13.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 $12.26

$19.25 $19.25

-36.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$17.83 $17.83

-51.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.69 $15.69

$19.03 $19.03

-17.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$6.69 $6.69

-29.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.29 $2.29

-24.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$6.41 $6.41

-37.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.75 $6.75

-5.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.93 $3.93

-9.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.52 $4.52

-26.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.79 $2.79

-24.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.51 $2.51

1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$18.10 $18.10

-35.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.13 $15.13

$20.16 $20.16

-24.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$3.26 $3.26

-46.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.75 $3.75

-13.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.92 $2.92

-21.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$143 $143

-54.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.06 $3.06

45.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.16 $2.16

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.21 $36.21

$41.33 $41.33

-12.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.12 $1.12

32.14%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$33.1K $33.1K

-17.78%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

2.06%

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

$213 $213

$219 $219

-2.92%

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

$84.5 $84.5

$75.3 $75.3

12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$70.5 $70.5

3.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.78 $40.78

$116 $116

-64.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 $12.13

$21.37 $21.37

-43.24%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$3,432 $3,432

-59.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.3K $43.3K

$61.7K $61.7K

-29.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 $75.0

$74.9 $74.9

0.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 $40.26

$52.1 $52.1

-22.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$117 $117

-24.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$135 $135

-10.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 $2,588

$4,347 $4,347

-40.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 $2,043

$3,117 $3,117

-34.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 $4,005

$9,110 $9,110

-56.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,069 $4,069

$5,379 $5,379

-24.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,472 $5,472

$19.3K $19.3K

-71.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,578 $4,578

$5,238 $5,238

-12.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.85

-7.88%

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

Last update for Fullerton, CA: October 18, 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

Fullerton, CA

$2K 58.3%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1% 52.6% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Fullerton, CA

$413 11.8%

New York, NY

$552 11.2% 33.6% $139

Eating Out

Fullerton, CA

$382 10.9%

New York, NY

$407 8.2% 6.5% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fullerton, CA

$371 10.6%

New York, NY

$365 7.4% 1.5% $5.5

Clothing & Footwear

Fullerton, CA

$146 4.2%

New York, NY

$170 3.5% 16.9% $25

Getting Around

Fullerton, CA

$88 2.5%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 92% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Fullerton, CA

$65 1.9%

New York, NY

$158 3.2% 143% $93

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,588 in Fullerton, CA 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 14% 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 $79.0 in Fullerton, CA versus $120 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $552 – making Fullerton, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

04:40 4:40 AM

07:40 7:40 AM

3 h ahead of Fullerton, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

135,161

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Fullerton, CA New York, NY 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Fullerton, CA
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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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,507 in Fullerton, CA, $4,938 in New York, NY – roughly 41% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,260 per month in Fullerton, CA 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 Fullerton, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,391 per month in Fullerton, CA 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.

Groceries cost about 34% 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.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,507 in Fullerton, CA and $4,938 in New York, NY. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. New York, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,507 in Fullerton, CA to $4,938 in New York, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Fullerton, CA. 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.