Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Allentown, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Allentown, PA: $2,765 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $26,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Allentown, PA
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Allentown, PA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Allentown, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,765

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Allentown, PA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in New York, NY and in Allentown, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $2,765 in Allentown, PA, rent included.

New York, NY $4,941
Allentown, PA $2,765

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $3,896 in Allentown, PA, rent included.

New York, NY $7,225
Allentown, PA $3,896

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $5,027 in Allentown, PA, rent included.

New York, NY $9,509
Allentown, PA $5,027

New York, NY costs about 79% more than Allentown, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Allentown, PA sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Allentown, PA by 103%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$19.81 $19.81

44.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$91.8 $91.8

29.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$12.23 $12.23

22.98%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$5.60 $5.60

16.61%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.62 $2.62

51.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.57 $1.57

91.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$4.92 $4.92

65.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$5.84 $5.84

68.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.19 $1.19

15.13%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.10 $2.10

136.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$2.43 $2.43

221.40%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$3.65 $3.65

63.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$15.62 $15.62

21.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$8.37 $8.37

115.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$18.95 $18.95

0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$6.78 $6.78

-0.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.65 $1.65

37.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$2.86 $2.86

138.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$6.65 $6.65

6.62%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.68 $2.68

57.46%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.30 $3.30

40.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.23 $2.23

28.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.53 $2.53

2.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$11.71 $11.71

60.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$14.72 $14.72

36.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.33 $2.33

48.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.71 $2.71

48.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.55 $2.55

14.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$61.0 $61.0

127.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.94 $2.94

4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.20 $2.20

-3.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$41.24 $41.24

1.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.10 $1.10

6.36%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.2K $27.2K

26.67%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.5K $26.5K

-2.37%

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

$219 $219

$188 $188

16.68%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$54.2 $54.2

36.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$70.6 $70.6

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$30.16 $30.16

271.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

$25.42 $25.42

194.49%

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$13.03 $13.03

69.92%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,204 $1,204

195.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$11.8K $11.8K

427.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$37.88 $37.88

99.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$51.3 $51.3

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$89.7 $89.7

37.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$118 $118

18.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$1,668 $1,668

169.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,470 $1,470

109.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$2,481 $2,481

280.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$2,048 $2,048

153.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$2,166 $2,166

735.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$1,905 $1,905

251.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$3,074 $3,074

69.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.43

6.69%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Allentown, PA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Allentown, PA

$1.5K 53.2% 52.3% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Allentown, PA

$392 14.2% 30.4% $171

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Allentown, PA

$315 11.4% 28.3% $125

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Allentown, PA

$313 11.3% 14% $51

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Allentown, PA

$134 4.8% 23.9% $42

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Allentown, PA

$85 3.1% 48.2% $79

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Allentown, PA

$56 2% 64% $100

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,668 in Allentown, PA. 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 70% 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 $118 in New York, NY versus $92 in Allentown, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $392 – making Allentown, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Allentown, PA

🕒 Local time

17:24 5:24 PM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

120,443

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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New York, NY Allentown, PA 110 km

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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

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

New York, NY costs about 79% more than Allentown, PA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $4,147 in Allentown, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Allentown, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,668 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Allentown, PA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $1,204 in Allentown, PA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,941 in New York, NY and $2,765 in Allentown, PA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Allentown, PA – 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 Allentown, PA. 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.