Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islip, NY and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Islip, NY: $1,259 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $44,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Islip, NY, United States
New York, NY, United States
Islip, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$1,259
/mo nomad
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,941
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Islip, NY versus $4,941 in New York, NY.

  • Islip, NY $1,259
  • New York, NY $4,941

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,207 in Islip, NY versus $7,225 in New York, NY.

  • Islip, NY $2,207
  • New York, NY $7,225

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Islip, NY versus $9,509 in New York, NY.

  • Islip, NY $3,154
  • New York, NY $9,509

Living in Islip, NY costs roughly 75% less than in New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Islip, NY is 7% below, New York, NY is 263% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Islip, NY
New York, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.10 $26.10
$28.55 $28.55
-8.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$122 $122
$118 $118
3.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.05 $14.05
$15.04 $15.04
-6.58%
Cappuccino
$5.14 $5.14
$6.53 $6.53
-21.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 $2.85
$3.96 $3.96
-28.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$3.01 $3.01
-24.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.77 $7.77
$8.16 $8.16
-4.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.17 $10.17
$9.84 $9.84
3.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Islip, NY
New York, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 $1.39
$1.37 $1.37
1.46%
White Bread (500g)
$4.54 $4.54
$4.97 $4.97
-8.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.05 $4.05
$7.81 $7.81
-48.14%
Eggs
$5.02 $5.02
$5.97 $5.97
-15.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.69 $18.69
$18.91 $18.91
-1.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.41 $17.41
$18.04 $18.04
-3.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.45 $16.45
$19.05 $19.05
-13.65%
Apples (1kg)
$4.47 $4.47
$6.76 $6.76
-33.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.29 $1.29
$2.27 $2.27
-43.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 $2.17
$6.83 $6.83
-68.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.91 $2.91
$7.09 $7.09
-58.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 $1.78
$4.22 $4.22
-57.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 $2.17
$4.65 $4.65
-53.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 $1.53
$2.87 $2.87
-46.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 $1.10
$2.60 $2.60
-57.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.94 $14.94
$18.77 $18.77
-20.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.96 $12.96
$20.13 $20.13
-35.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 $2.35
$3.45 $3.45
-31.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 $3.76
$4.02 $4.02
-6.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Islip, NY
New York, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.37 $4.37
$2.91 $2.91
50.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$139 $139
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.98 $2.98
$3.08 $3.08
-3.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 $2.20
$2.12 $2.12
3.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.26 $41.26
$41.96 $41.96
-1.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.17 $1.17
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$34.5K $34.5K
-18.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K $26.7K
$25.9K $25.9K
3.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Islip, NY
New York, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.2 $80.2
$219 $219
-63.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$71.2 $71.2
$74.2 $74.2
-4.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.8 $69.8
$70.2 $70.2
-0.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Islip, NY
New York, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.6 $59.6
$112 $112
-46.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$74.9 $74.9
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.83 $15.83
$22.14 $22.14
-28.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Islip, NY
New York, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,537 $3,537
$3,558 $3,558
-0.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$61.6K $61.6K
$62.2K $62.2K
-0.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Islip, NY
New York, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.55 $44.55
$75.6 $75.6
-41.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.92 $27.92
$51.2 $51.2
-45.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.0 $75.0
$123 $123
-39.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 $91.4
$140 $140
-34.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Islip, NY
New York, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,989 $1,989
$4,499 $4,499
-55.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,078 $3,078
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,382 $3,382
$9,447 $9,447
-64.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$5,190 $5,190
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$18.1K $18.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,693 $6,693
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Islip, NY
New York, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,975 $3,975
$5,220 $5,220
-23.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.63
6.86
-3.35%

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

Last update for Islip, NY: 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.
Groceries & Markets
Islip, NY
$416
New York, NY
$563 35.5% $147
Eating Out
Islip, NY
$392
New York, NY
$440 12.2% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Islip, NY
$221
New York, NY
$364 64.6% $143
Clothing & Footwear
Islip, NY
$107
New York, NY
$175 63.2% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Islip, NY
$91
New York, NY
$156 71.2% $65
Getting Around
Islip, NY
$31 *
New York, NY
$164 422% $133
Accommodation & Living
Islip, NY
- *
New York, NY
$3.1K

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,989 in Islip, NY and $4,499 in New York, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 31% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $122 in Islip, NY vs $118 in New York, NY. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 vs $563, with Islip, NY cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Islip, NY
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🕒 Local time
10:25 10:25 AM
10:25 10:25 AM
Same time as Islip, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
339,938
8,804,190
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Islip, NY New York, NY 83 km
From you
  • Islip, NY
  • 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
Islip, NY vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Islip, NY cheaper than New York, NY?
Islip, NY is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and clothing. The 292% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Islip, NY or New York, NY?
On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Islip, NY. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Islip, NY and New York, NY?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,989 in Islip, NY versus $4,499 in New York, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $3,537 in Islip, NY versus $3,558 in New York, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Islip, NY or in New York, NY?
Dining out is cheaper in New York, NY – a meal for two runs $118 versus $122 in Islip, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Islip, NY or in New York, NY?
At $1,259 in Islip, NY versus $4,941 in New York, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Islip, NY but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Islip, NY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Islip, NY or in New York, NY?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Islip, NY wins on affordability, New York, NY on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Islip, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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