Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Brea, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Brea, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,568 in New York, NY versus $2,577 in Brea, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,104 in New York, NY versus $4,207 in Brea, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,640 in New York, NY versus $5,837 in Brea, CA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 77% more expensive than Brea, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 243% above, Brea, CA 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.73 $29.73

$19.83 $19.83

49.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$84.6 $84.6

69.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 $12.26

$9.82 $9.82

24.85%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$4.96 $4.96

18.15%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$2.74 $2.74

18.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.04 $2.04

26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.90 $6.90

15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.97 $11.97

$7.07 $7.07

69.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.11 $1.11

45.05%

White Bread (500g)

$5.15 $5.15

$4.04 $4.04

27.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$4.82 $4.82

73.24%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$4.63 $4.63

54.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.12 $17.12

$12.32 $12.32

38.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$11.61 $11.61

40.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.40 $20.40

$14.30 $14.30

42.66%

Apples (1kg)

$7.73 $7.73

$3.36 $3.36

130.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.93 $1.93

32.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.83 $3.83

53.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$5.39 $5.39

19.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.26 $3.26

18.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.99 $2.99

31.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.95 $1.95

62.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.16 $2.16

19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.32 $19.32

$10.12 $10.12

90.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.92 $19.92

$15.11 $15.11

31.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.70 $1.70

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 $3.78

$4.74 $4.74

-20.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.04 $2.04

45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 $131

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.96 $3.96

22.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.76 $2.76

-19.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.86 $41.86

$32.08 $32.08

30.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.23 $1.23

-21.14%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$25.4K $25.4K

36.08%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$26.8K $26.8K

5.45%

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

$183 $183

$197 $197

-7.46%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$46.64 $46.64

27.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 $62.8

$59.7 $59.7

5.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$142 $142

$43.77 $43.77

223.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$65.7 $65.7

Cinema Ticket

$19.63 $19.63

$13.75 $13.75

42.76%

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

$3,104 $3,104

$1,218 $1,218

154.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$57.8K $57.8K

$39.4K $39.4K

46.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.7 $66.7

$70.3 $70.3

-5.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.29 $47.29

$35.12 $35.12

34.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$85.1 $85.1

33.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 $174

$125 $125

38.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,117 $4,117

$1,631 $1,631

152.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,643 $2,643

$1,334 $1,334

98.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,437 $8,437

$2,844 $2,844

196.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,240 $5,240

$3,045 $3,045

72.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.8K $17.8K

$5,941 $5,941

200.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,220 $6,220

$5,922 $5,922

5.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,482 $5,482

$9,879 $9,879

-44.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.58

-2.13%

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

Last update for New York, NY: June 15, 2026

Last update for Brea, CA: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,117 in New York, NY and $1,631 in Brea, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $143 in New York, NY vs $85.0 in Brea, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $559 vs $396 per month, with Brea, CA 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 Brea, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brea, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 77% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brea, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Brea, CA earns 80% less. 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: $4,117 in New York, NY versus $1,631 in Brea, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,104 in New York, NY versus $1,218 in Brea, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brea, CA – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $143 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Brea, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brea, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,577 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brea, CA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Brea, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brea, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.