Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Bellevue, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bellevue, WA: $3,763 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 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
181

Cost of Living Index in Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,763

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Bellevue, WA

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 Bellevue, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,941 in New York, NY versus $3,763 in Bellevue, WA.

New York, NY $4,941
Bellevue, WA $3,763

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,225 in New York, NY versus $5,702 in Bellevue, WA.

New York, NY $7,225
Bellevue, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,509 in New York, NY versus $7,641 in Bellevue, WA.

New York, NY $9,509
Bellevue, WA $7,641

Living in New York, NY is roughly 31% more expensive than in Bellevue, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 263% above, Bellevue, WA 177% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$25.38 $25.38

12.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$101 $101

17.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$13.03 $13.03

15.43%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$5.80 $5.80

12.59%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$3.15 $3.15

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.51 $2.51

19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$7.91 $7.91

3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$7.94 $7.94

23.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.10 $1.10

24.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.65 $4.65

6.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$6.05 $6.05

29.09%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$5.54 $5.54

7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$15.96 $15.96

18.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$16.26 $16.26

10.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$22.78 $22.78

-16.37%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$5.61 $5.61

20.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.87 $1.87

21.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$5.54 $5.54

23.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.52 $4.52

56.86%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.77 $2.77

52.35%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.32 $3.32

40.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.99 $1.99

44.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.48 $2.48

4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$12.41 $12.41

51.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$18.19 $18.19

10.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.12 $2.12

62.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.75 $4.75

-15.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.05 $3.05

-4.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$110 $110

26.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.64 $2.64

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.70 $1.70

24.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$30.09 $30.09

39.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.41 $1.41

-17.02%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$28.6K $28.6K

20.57%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.3K $26.3K

-1.86%

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

$219 $219

$227 $227

-3.55%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$54.2 $54.2

37.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$64.8 $64.8

8.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$186 $186

-39.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

$39.31 $39.31

90.44%

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$18.28 $18.28

21.12%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,980 $1,980

79.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$31.9K $31.9K

95.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$62.1 $62.1

21.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$44.06 $44.06

16.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$99.2 $99.2

24.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$125 $125

11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$2,940 $2,940

53.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$2,028 $2,028

51.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$6,554 $6,554

44.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$3,722 $3,722

39.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$7,947 $7,947

127.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$5,385 $5,385

24.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$8,751 $8,751

-40.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.64

3.31%

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 Bellevue, WA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Bellevue, WA

$2K 53.9% 34.1% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Bellevue, WA

$494 13.1% 12.2% $69

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Bellevue, WA

$390 10.4% 11.5% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Bellevue, WA

$346 9.2% 4.8% $17

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Bellevue, WA

$149 4% 15.2% $27

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Bellevue, WA

$133 3.6% 18.7% $31

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Bellevue, WA

$222 5.9% 42.4% $66

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,499 in New York, NY and $2,940 in Bellevue, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bellevue, WA pays 68% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $118 in New York, NY vs $101 in Bellevue, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $563 vs $494 per month, with Bellevue, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Bellevue, WA

🕒 Local time

07:31 7:31 AM

04:31 4:31 AM

3 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

151,854

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New York, NY Bellevue, WA 3,850 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Bellevue, WA is about 24% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in New York, NY. 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: $4,499 in New York, NY versus $2,940 in Bellevue, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bellevue, WA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $118 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $4,941 per month in New York, NY versus $3,763 in Bellevue, WA – Bellevue, WA is about 24% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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

For families, Bellevue, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in New York, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bellevue, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.