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: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $2,617 in Brea, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,016 in New York, NY versus $4,228 in Brea, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,593 in New York, NY versus $5,839 in Brea, CA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 70% more expensive than Brea, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 231% above, Brea, CA 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.91 $29.91

$20.36 $20.36

46.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 $144

$84.7 $84.7

69.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.98 $9.98

23.45%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$5.13 $5.13

17.54%

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

$3.39 $3.39

$2.70 $2.70

25.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.03 $2.03

26.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 $8.20

$7.21 $7.21

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.95 $11.95

$7.04 $7.04

69.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.08 $1.08

42.59%

White Bread (500g)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.98 $3.98

29.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$4.67 $4.67

80.51%

Eggs

$6.97 $6.97

$4.48 $4.48

55.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$12.32 $12.32

40.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 $16.24

$11.45 $11.45

41.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.95 $19.95

$14.80 $14.80

34.80%

Apples (1kg)

$7.45 $7.45

$3.48 $3.48

114.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.90 $1.90

27.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$3.75 $3.75

56.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$5.51 $5.51

14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.23 $3.23

15.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.95 $2.95

35.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.94 $1.94

64.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.13 $2.13

19.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.09 $19.09

$10.03 $10.03

90.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.24 $20.24

$15.03 $15.03

34.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.72 $1.72

73.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$4.53 $4.53

-14.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.99 $1.99

48.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 $131

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$4.09 $4.09

25.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.78 $2.78

-20.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.64 $42.64

$31.42 $31.42

35.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.23 $1.23

-22.76%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$24.5K $24.5K

40.82%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$27.0K $27.0K

4.31%

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

$182 $182

$198 $198

-8.17%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$46.68 $46.68

28.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 $61.9

$60.8 $60.8

1.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$42.53 $42.53

229.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.4 $64.4

Cinema Ticket

$20.33 $20.33

$13.82 $13.82

47.11%

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

$3,222 $3,222

$1,207 $1,207

167.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.2K $56.2K

$40.5K $40.5K

38.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 $65.9

$69.6 $69.6

-5.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.20 $47.20

$34.40 $34.40

37.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$84.5 $84.5

31.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$126 $126

37.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,208 $4,208

$1,589 $1,589

164.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$1,358 $1,358

94.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,415 $8,415

$2,812 $2,812

199.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,170 $5,170

$3,013 $3,013

71.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K $20.1K

$5,968 $5,968

236.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,742 $8,742

$5,856 $5,856

49.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,144 $5,144

$9,867 $9,867

-47.87%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Brea, CA: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,208 in New York, NY and $1,589 in Brea, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 92% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $144 in New York, NY vs $85 in Brea, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $394 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 70% 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 92% 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: $4,208 in New York, NY versus $1,589 in Brea, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,222 in New York, NY versus $1,207 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 $144 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 $2,617 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 70% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.