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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,459 in New York, NY versus $2,628 in Dublin, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,988 in New York, NY versus $3,826 in Dublin, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,517 in New York, NY versus $5,024 in Dublin, CA.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 234% above, Dublin, CA 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.11 $30.11

$30.42 $30.42

-1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$49.49 $49.49

188.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 $12.67

$13.78 $13.78

-8.06%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$6.49 $6.49

-6.47%

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

$3.27 $3.27

$3.75 $3.75

-12.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.36 $3.36

-22.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$9.09 $9.09

-12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.13 $9.13

33.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.31 $1.31

17.56%

White Bread (500g)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.39 $4.39

15.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$3.14 $3.14

167.20%

Eggs

$7.11 $7.11

$5.23 $5.23

35.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 $17.70

$6.75 $6.75

162.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.71 $16.71

$11.03 $11.03

51.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.85 $19.85

$12.45 $12.45

59.44%

Apples (1kg)

$7.38 $7.38

$4.49 $4.49

64.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.92 $3.92

-34.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$4.42 $4.42

32.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.35 $6.35

$4.42 $4.42

43.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.89 $2.89

29.76%

Onion (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.15 $2.15

88.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.95 $1.95

61.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.62 $2.62

-5.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 $18.70

$8.52 $8.52

119.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 $19.79

$15.70 $15.70

26.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.13 $2.13

41.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.36 $2.36

58.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.97 $1.97

44.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$133 $133

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 $4.94

$4.62 $4.62

6.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.95 $1.95

14.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.11 $42.11

$29.53 $29.53

42.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.24 $1.24

-21.77%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$30.0K $30.0K

16.02%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

2.02%

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

$180 $180

$75.2 $75.2

139.91%

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

$60.4 $60.4

$38.76 $38.76

55.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$63.7 $63.7

-1.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$142 $142

$42.62 $42.62

232.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.8 $64.8

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$18.32 $18.32

9.06%

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

$3,220 $3,220

$1,166 $1,166

176.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$57.0K $57.0K

$24.4K $24.4K

133.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 $67.3

$57.2 $57.2

17.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 $48.36

$40.38 $40.38

19.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$77.0 $77.0

46.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 $171

$80.8 $80.8

110.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,136 $4,136

$1,611 $1,611

156.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,635 $2,635

$1,349 $1,349

95.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,333 $8,333

$2,616 $2,616

218.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,118 $5,118

$2,200 $2,200

132.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.7K $18.7K

$12.8K $12.8K

45.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,464 $6,464

$10.9K $10.9K

-40.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,420 $5,420

$5,574 $5,574

-2.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.67

-3.45%

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

Last update for New York, NY: July 19, 2026

Last update for Dublin, CA: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,136 in New York, NY and $1,611 in Dublin, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dublin, CA pays 3% 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 $49.00 in Dublin, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $555 vs $388 per month, with Dublin, 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 Dublin, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dublin, 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 Dublin, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Dublin, CA. 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: $4,136 in New York, NY versus $1,611 in Dublin, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,220 in New York, NY versus $1,166 in Dublin, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dublin, CA – a meal for two runs $49.00 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. Dublin, 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 Dublin, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,628 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dublin, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Dublin, 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.