Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Atlantic City, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Atlantic City, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,557 in New York, NY versus $2,346 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,115 in New York, NY versus $3,592 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,674 in New York, NY versus $4,838 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 94% more expensive than Atlantic City, NJ, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 240% above, Atlantic City, NJ 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.90 $29.90

$25.34 $25.34

18.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$60.4 $60.4

136.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 $12.67

$12.03 $12.03

5.32%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.35 $5.35

8.04%

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

$3.40 $3.40

$2.78 $2.78

22.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.52 $2.52

6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$7.20 $7.20

12.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 $11.86

$8.95 $8.95

32.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.18 $1.18

36.44%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.03 $4.03

27.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.17 $8.17

$8.37 $8.37

-2.39%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$6.23 $6.23

14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 $17.24

$17.54 $17.54

-1.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.17 $16.17

$16.57 $16.57

-2.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.46 $20.46

$20.35 $20.35

0.54%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 $7.33

$4.44 $4.44

65.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.44 $2.44

-0.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$5.79 $5.79

-0.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.29 $6.29

3.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$3.80 $3.80

0.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$4.04 $4.04

-1.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.94 $1.94

58.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.04 $2.04

20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.03 $19.03

$19.23 $19.23

-1.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$13.48 $13.48

49.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.91 $2.91

-0.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.73 $3.73

0.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.98 $1.98

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.91 $4.91

1.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.12 $2.12

5.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.20 $42.20

$41.80 $41.80

0.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.82 $0.82

17.07%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$34.3K $34.3K

1.02%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$28.5K $28.5K

-1.37%

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

$183 $183

-0.07%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$59.8 $59.8

-0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$54.4 $54.4

16.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$42.23 $42.23

232.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.9 $63.9

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$14.66 $14.66

36.29%

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

$3,153 $3,153

$3,201 $3,201

-1.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.3K $56.3K

$23.4K $23.4K

140.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 $67.7

$41.89 $41.89

61.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 $48.48

$40.74 $40.74

19.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$59.8 $59.8

92.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 $170

$74.3 $74.3

128.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,113 $4,113

$1,385 $1,385

197.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$1,017 $1,017

160.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,230 $8,230

$1,982 $1,982

315.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,113 $5,113

$1,822 $1,822

180.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$3,629 $3,629

432.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,754 $8,754

$3,629 $3,629

141.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,049 $5,049

$4,834 $4,834

4.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

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

Last update for New York, NY: April 25, 2026

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,113 in New York, NY and $1,385 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 4% 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: $143 in New York, NY vs $60.0 in Atlantic City, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $553 vs $499 per month, with Atlantic City, NJ cheaper across the board.

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 Atlantic City, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and Atlantic City, NJ differ by about 94% in total monthly costs ($4,557 vs $2,346 including rent). Atlantic City, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

New York, NY pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,113 in New York, NY versus $1,385 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,153 in New York, NY versus $3,201 in Atlantic City, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Atlantic City, NJ – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $143 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,346 in Atlantic City, NJ versus $4,557 in New York, NY, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Atlantic City, NJ but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Atlantic City, NJ the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Atlantic City, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.