Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ithaca, NY: $2,893 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $24,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Ithaca, NY
Learn more

Ithaca, NY Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
Learn more

New York, NY Living Index

Jump to prices

Ithaca, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,893

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,893 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Ithaca, NY $2,893
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $3,843 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Ithaca, NY $3,843
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $4,792 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Ithaca, NY $4,792
New York, NY $9,509

Ithaca, NY is about 41% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ithaca, NY and New York, NY sit above the global median – Ithaca, NY by 113%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.77 $22.77

$28.55 $28.55

-20.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$118 $118

-33.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$15.04 $15.04

-27.99%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$6.53 $6.53

-22.05%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$3.96 $3.96

-33.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.01 $3.01

-32.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$8.16 $8.16

-37.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.39 $9.39

$9.84 $9.84

-4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.37 $1.37

-25.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.97 $4.97

-35.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$7.81 $7.81

-9.22%

Eggs

$3.96 $3.96

$5.97 $5.97

-33.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 $14.66

$18.91 $18.91

-22.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$18.04 $18.04

-63.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$19.05 $19.05

-18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$6.76 $6.76

-28.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.27 $2.27

-25.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$6.83 $6.83

-20.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$7.09 $7.09

-32.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.22 $4.22

-25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.65 $4.65

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.87 $2.87

-20.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.60 $2.60

-20.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.69 $14.69

$18.77 $18.77

-21.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.20 $14.20

$20.13 $20.13

-29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$3.45 $3.45

-46.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.02 $4.02

-0.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.91 $2.91

-47.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.49 $45.49

$139 $139

-67.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.08 $3.08

61.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.12 $2.12

-33.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$41.96 $41.96

-29.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.17 $1.17

-9.40%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$34.5K $34.5K

-21.25%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.92%

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

$167 $167

$219 $219

-23.84%

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

$46.41 $46.41

$74.2 $74.2

-37.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 $50.5

$70.2 $70.2

-28.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.65 $34.65

$112 $112

-69.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 $10.82

$22.14 $22.14

-51.13%

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

$1,518 $1,518

$3,558 $3,558

-57.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K $16.9K

$62.2K $62.2K

-72.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.25 $47.25

$75.6 $75.6

-37.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.06 $39.06

$51.2 $51.2

-23.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$123 $123

-34.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$140 $140

-23.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 $2,256

$4,499 $4,499

-49.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 $1,661

$3,078 $3,078

-46.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,044 $3,044

$9,447 $9,447

-67.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,997 $1,997

$5,190 $5,190

-61.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 $2,681

$18.1K $18.1K

-85.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,035 $2,035

$6,693 $6,693

-69.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,468 $3,468

$5,220 $5,220

-33.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.86

-5.83%

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

Last update for Ithaca, 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.

Accommodation & Living

Ithaca, NY

$1.7K 57.4%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 85.3% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Ithaca, NY

$386 13.3%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 45.9% $177

Eating Out

Ithaca, NY

$339 11.7%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 30% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ithaca, NY

$264 9.1%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 37.8% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Ithaca, NY

$124 4.3%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 42% $52

Getting Around

Ithaca, NY

$64 2.2%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 158% $101

Sport & Entertainment

Ithaca, NY

$56 2%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 178% $100

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,256 in Ithaca, NY 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 51% 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 in Ithaca, NY versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $563 – making Ithaca, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ithaca, NY

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

07:29 7:29 AM

Same time as Ithaca, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

22,283

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

Ithaca, NY New York, NY 280 km

From you

Ithaca, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,893 in Ithaca, NY, $4,941 in New York, NY – Ithaca, NY comes out roughly 41% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,340 per month in Ithaca, NY 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 Ithaca, NY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,256 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Ithaca, NY 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 $2,893 in Ithaca, NY and $4,941 in New York, NY. That makes Ithaca, NY about 41% cheaper.

Families tend to lean toward Ithaca, NY – 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 Ithaca, NY. 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.