Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Bethel, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Bethel, AK: $2,651 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $27,500 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Bethel, AK
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Bethel, AK Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Bethel, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,651

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Bethel, AK

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 Bethel, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,941 in New York, NY versus $2,651 in Bethel, AK.

New York, NY $4,941
Bethel, AK $2,651

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,225 in New York, NY versus $3,886 in Bethel, AK.

New York, NY $7,225
Bethel, AK $3,886

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,509 in New York, NY versus $5,121 in Bethel, AK.

New York, NY $9,509
Bethel, AK $5,121

Living in New York, NY is roughly 86% more expensive than in Bethel, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 263% above, Bethel, AK 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$20.21 $20.21

41.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$75.7 $75.7

56.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$11.47 $11.47

31.12%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$5.30 $5.30

23.21%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.74 $2.74

44.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.96 $1.96

53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.02 $6.02

35.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$7.40 $7.40

32.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.01 $1.01

35.64%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.52 $3.52

41.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$4.27 $4.27

82.90%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$4.29 $4.29

39.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$12.33 $12.33

53.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$11.41 $11.41

58.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$17.34 $17.34

9.86%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.98 $4.98

35.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.64 $1.64

38.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$4.40 $4.40

55.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.61 $4.61

53.80%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.78 $2.78

51.80%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.95 $2.95

57.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.10 $2.10

36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.29 $2.29

13.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$9.98 $9.98

88.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$14.84 $14.84

35.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.92 $1.92

79.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.27 $3.27

22.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.95 $1.95

49.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$63.2 $63.2

119.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.14 $3.14

-1.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.76 $1.76

20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$29.48 $29.48

42.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.02 $1.02

14.71%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$28.1K $28.1K

22.63%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.22%

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

$219 $219

$196 $196

11.93%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$58.9 $58.9

26.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$70.8 $70.8

-0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$42.45 $42.45

163.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$13.96 $13.96

58.60%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,425 $1,425

149.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$23.6K $23.6K

163.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$53.0 $53.0

42.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$41.55 $41.55

23.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$89.3 $89.3

37.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$116 $116

20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$1,584 $1,584

183.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,316 $1,316

133.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$2,537 $2,537

272.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$2,183 $2,183

137.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$2,740 $2,740

560.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$2,372 $2,372

182.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.57

4.41%

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 Bethel, AK: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Bethel, AK

$1.3K 49.7% 57.2% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Bethel, AK

$397 15% 29.5% $166

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Bethel, AK

$323 12.2% 26.5% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Bethel, AK

$326 12.3% 10.5% $38

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Bethel, AK

$135 5.1% 23.1% $41

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Bethel, AK

$83 3.1% 49.5% $81

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Bethel, AK

$70 2.7% 55% $86

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,499 in New York, NY and $1,584 in Bethel, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $118 in New York, NY vs $76 in Bethel, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $563 vs $397 per month, with Bethel, AK cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Bethel, AK

🕒 Local time

10:11 10:11 AM

06:11 6:11 AM

4 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

6,300

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Bethel, AK 6,030 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Bethel, AK

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bethel, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and Bethel, AK differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($4,941 vs $2,651 including rent). Bethel, AK is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $7,412 in New York, NY and $3,976 in Bethel, AK to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,584 in Bethel, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $4,941 per month in New York, NY versus $2,651 in Bethel, AK – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bethel, AK runs roughly 55% less than in New York, NY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $2,651 in Bethel, AK versus $4,941 in New York, NY, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Bethel, AK but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Bethel, AK 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 Bethel, AK gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.