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: $4,841 in New York, NY versus $2,850 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,287 in New York, NY versus $4,214 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,734 in New York, NY versus $5,578 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 70% more expensive than in Atlantic City, NJ, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 254% above, Atlantic City, NJ 108% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 $25.33

$19.87 $19.87

27.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$88.6 $88.6

60.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$11.41 $11.41

20.77%

Cappuccino

$6.19 $6.19

$5.63 $5.63

9.95%

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

$3.69 $3.69

$2.53 $2.53

45.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.08 $2.08

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$6.59 $6.59

17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$8.54 $8.54

18.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.24 $1.24

12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.35 $3.35

37.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$6.98 $6.98

-0.57%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$4.38 $4.38

32.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 $17.32

$10.93 $10.93

58.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.04 $15.04

$16.46 $16.46

-8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.02 $18.02

$19.96 $19.96

-9.72%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$7.83 $7.83

-19.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.84 $3.84

-44.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.26 $5.26

10.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$5.81 $5.81

8.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.11 $4.11

-17.52%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$4.72 $4.72

-9.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.50 $2.50

10.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.57 $2.57

-0.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 $18.70

$14.24 $14.24

31.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.30 $20.30

$13.39 $13.39

51.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.76 $2.76

14.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.36 $3.36

19.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.96 $2.96

0.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$91.3 $91.3

51.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.02 $3.02

2.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.23 $2.23

-4.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.56 $41.56

$41.58 $41.58

-0.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.87 $0.87

29.89%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$20.3K $20.3K

74.45%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

1.90%

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

$236 $236

$242 $242

-2.39%

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

$73.7 $73.7

$55.3 $55.3

33.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$63.0 $63.0

14.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$30.19 $30.19

314.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.1 $63.1

$49.95 $49.95

26.25%

Cinema Ticket

$23.37 $23.37

$16.68 $16.68

40.11%

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

$3,353 $3,353

$491 $491

582.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.0K $61.0K

$6,892 $6,892

784.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$70.2 $70.2

3.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 $52.2

$31.34 $31.34

66.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$121 $121

-4.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$122 $122

1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,438 $4,438

$1,745 $1,745

154.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,045 $3,045

$1,292 $1,292

135.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,088 $9,088

$2,383 $2,383

281.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,404 $5,404

$2,192 $2,192

146.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K $18.8K

$3,577 $3,577

425.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,500 $6,500

$3,643 $3,643

78.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,258 $5,258

$4,134 $4,134

27.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

116.33%

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

Last update for New York, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Atlantic City, NJ: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,438 in New York, NY and $1,745 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 27% 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: $142 in New York, NY vs $89.0 in Atlantic City, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $516 vs $489 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 70% in total monthly costs ($4,841 vs $2,850 including rent). Atlantic City, NJ is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% higher in New York, NY, 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: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $1,745 in Atlantic City, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Atlantic City, NJ – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $142 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Atlantic City, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 70% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.