Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Denver, CO Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Denver, CO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,878 in New York, NY versus $3,124 in Denver, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,262 in New York, NY versus $4,635 in Denver, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,645 in New York, NY versus $6,146 in Denver, CO.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 56% more expensive than in Denver, CO, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 255% above, Denver, CO 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.20 $25.20

$19.73 $19.73

27.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 $150

$90.7 $90.7

65.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 $13.98

$12.00 $12.00

16.50%

Cappuccino

$6.39 $6.39

$6.05 $6.05

5.62%

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

$4.01 $4.01

$2.87 $2.87

39.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.20 $2.20

32.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$7.15 $7.15

12.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$7.80 $7.80

27.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.10 $1.10

20.91%

White Bread (500g)

$4.80 $4.80

$5.45 $5.45

-11.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$7.37 $7.37

-7.60%

Eggs

$5.67 $5.67

$5.28 $5.28

7.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$16.06 $16.06

3.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$17.13 $17.13

-13.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$17.58 $17.58

7.51%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$5.01 $5.01

20.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.09 $2.09

3.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.92 $4.92

15.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.19 $5.19

16.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.57 $2.57

35.80%

Onion (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.85 $2.85

45.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.26 $2.26

18.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.53 $2.53

1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.04 $19.04

$10.44 $10.44

82.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 $19.73

$19.54 $19.54

0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.75 $2.75

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.64 $3.64

9.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.68 $2.68

11.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$87.1 $87.1

61.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.43 $3.43

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.80 $1.80

17.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$30.22 $30.22

36.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.06 $1.06

4.72%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$35.4K $35.4K

-0.73%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$25.3K $25.3K

-0.49%

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

$218 $218

$162 $162

34.73%

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

$76.5 $76.5

$78.2 $78.2

-2.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$69.1 $69.1

9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$128 $128

$57.7 $57.7

121.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.2 $63.2

$24.94 $24.94

153.45%

Cinema Ticket

$23.94 $23.94

$14.76 $14.76

62.20%

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

$3,313 $3,313

$2,395 $2,395

38.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.8K $60.8K

$33.2K $33.2K

83.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 $74.0

$70.5 $70.5

5.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 $56.3

$45.99 $45.99

22.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$108 $108

7.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

-0.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,391 $4,391

$2,001 $2,001

119.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$1,672 $1,672

84.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,291 $9,291

$3,187 $3,187

191.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,460 $5,460

$2,706 $2,706

101.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$5,598 $5,598

244.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,723 $6,723

$3,758 $3,758

78.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,364 $5,364

$4,314 $4,314

24.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.45

-0.31%

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

Last update for New York, NY: August 29, 2026

Last update for Denver, CO: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,391 in New York, NY and $2,001 in Denver, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 24% 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: $150 in New York, NY vs $91.0 in Denver, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $512 vs $499 per month, with Denver, CO 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 Denver, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Denver, CO wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Denver, CO the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $4,391 in New York, NY versus $2,001 in Denver, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Denver, CO – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $150 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. Denver, CO 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 Denver, CO delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,124 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Denver, CO hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Denver, CO 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 Denver, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.