Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Alpharetta, GA Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Island, NY and Alpharetta, GA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,624 in Long Island, NY versus $3,044 in Alpharetta, GA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,315 in Long Island, NY versus $4,421 in Alpharetta, GA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,005 in Long Island, NY versus $5,797 in Alpharetta, GA.

Living in Long Island, NY is roughly 19% more expensive than in Alpharetta, GA, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Long Island, NY 165% above, Alpharetta, GA 123% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$21.61 $21.61

15.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$80.5 $80.5

26.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 $10.96

$10.14 $10.14

8.09%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$4.78 $4.78

4.60%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$2.53 $2.53

-12.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.12 $2.12

-25.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$5.66 $5.66

40.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.71 $7.71

2.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$0.90 $0.90

47.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.39 $4.39

$4.20 $4.20

4.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$5.37 $5.37

-63.13%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$4.51 $4.51

13.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$11.79 $11.79

5.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$8.85 $8.85

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$20.34 $20.34

-17.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.59 $4.59

-6.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.19 $2.19

-42.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$4.18 $4.18

-49.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$3.94 $3.94

27.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$3.86 $3.86

-70.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.74 $3.74

-42.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.38 $2.38

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.48 $2.48

-37.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 $11.30

$8.79 $8.79

28.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.81 $14.81

-0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.69 $1.69

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 $4.12

$4.09 $4.09

0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.05 $3.05

-7.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$94.4 $94.4

37.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.98 $2.98

-0.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.34 $2.34

-12.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.88 $23.88

$40.26 $40.26

-40.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.87 $0.87

21.84%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$32.1K $32.1K

13.35%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.2K $27.2K

-7.15%

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

$217 $217

$257 $257

-15.53%

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

$46.87 $46.87

$53.8 $53.8

-12.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 $53.5

$87.0 $87.0

-38.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.24 $31.24

$34.74 $34.74

-10.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$103 $103

$22.33 $22.33

362.65%

Cinema Ticket

$14.71 $14.71

$16.93 $16.93

-13.11%

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

$2,286 $2,286

$1,296 $1,296

76.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$15.5K $15.5K

50.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.09 $40.09

$78.9 $78.9

-49.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.7 $57.7

$44.26 $44.26

30.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 $77.2

$132 $132

-41.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 $154

$141 $141

9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$2,062 $2,062

27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,271 $2,271

$1,512 $1,512

50.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,705 $4,705

$2,983 $2,983

57.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,556 $3,556

$2,493 $2,493

42.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,332 $4,332

$7,490 $7,490

-42.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,315 $4,315

$5,184 $5,184

-16.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,938 $4,938

$6,164 $6,164

-19.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

6.43

-4.04%

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

Last update for Long Island, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Alpharetta, GA: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,632 in Long Island, NY and $2,062 in Alpharetta, GA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alpharetta, GA pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Long Island, NY vs $80.0 in Alpharetta, GA. Groceries flip the comparison at $373 vs $408, with Long Island, NY cheaper for home cooking.

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

Long Island, NY vs Alpharetta, GA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alpharetta, GA is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Alpharetta, GA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,632 in Long Island, NY versus $2,062 in Alpharetta, GA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Alpharetta, GA runs roughly 38% less than in Long Island, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,286 in Long Island, NY versus $1,296 in Alpharetta, GA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Alpharetta, GA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Alpharetta, GA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Long Island, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Long Island, NY and Alpharetta, GA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Alpharetta, GA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Long Island, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.