Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and El Dorado, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in El Dorado, AR: $1,746 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $38,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,938
/mo nomad
El Dorado, AR
🇺🇸 United States
$1,746
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in El Dorado, AR

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 El Dorado, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,938 in New York, NY versus $1,746 in El Dorado, AR.

  • New York, NY $4,938
  • El Dorado, AR $1,746

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,273 in New York, NY versus $2,547 in El Dorado, AR.

  • New York, NY $7,273
  • El Dorado, AR $2,547

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,608 in New York, NY versus $3,348 in El Dorado, AR.

  • New York, NY $9,608
  • El Dorado, AR $3,348

Living in New York, NY is roughly 183% more expensive than in El Dorado, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 264% above, El Dorado, AR 29% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
El Dorado, AR
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.99 $24.99
$17.29 $17.29
44.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120 $120
$59.0 $59.0
103.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.74 $13.74
$10.86 $10.86
26.52%
Cappuccino
$6.60 $6.60
$5.04 $5.04
30.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$3.04 $3.04
25.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.41 $2.41
19.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.95 $7.95
$4.95 $4.95
60.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.06 $10.06
$6.31 $6.31
59.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
El Dorado, AR
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 $1.37
$1.10 $1.10
24.55%
White Bread (500g)
$4.75 $4.75
$2.70 $2.70
75.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.69 $7.69
$2.80 $2.80
174.64%
Eggs
$5.87 $5.87
$3.36 $3.36
74.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.25 $19.25
$10.17 $10.17
89.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.83 $17.83
$11.99 $11.99
48.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.03 $19.03
$22.50 $22.50
-15.42%
Apples (1kg)
$6.69 $6.69
$4.31 $4.31
55.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 $2.29
$1.45 $1.45
57.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.41 $6.41
$4.48 $4.48
43.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.75 $6.75
$3.76 $3.76
79.52%
Potato (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$1.57 $1.57
150.32%
Onion (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$2.51 $2.51
80.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.79 $2.79
$1.92 $1.92
45.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$1.84 $1.84
36.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.10 $18.10
$9.36 $9.36
93.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.16 $20.16
$13.55 $13.55
48.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.77 $1.77
84.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 $3.75
$1.69 $1.69
121.89%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
El Dorado, AR
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.81 $1.81
61.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$143 $143
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 $3.06
$2.46 $2.46
24.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.52 $1.52
42.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.33 $41.33
$24.11 $24.11
71.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$0.92 $0.92
21.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K $33.1K
$26.7K $26.7K
23.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$26.3K $26.3K
-2.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
El Dorado, AR
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$134 $134
64.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$75.3 $75.3
$59.8 $59.8
25.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.5 $70.5
$39.23 $39.23
79.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
El Dorado, AR
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$116 $116
$42.36 $42.36
172.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$67.6 $67.6
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$21.37 $21.37
$9.09 $9.09
135.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
El Dorado, AR
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,432 $3,432
$1,036 $1,036
231.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$61.7K $61.7K
$19.1K $19.1K
222.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
El Dorado, AR
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.9 $74.9
$50.9 $50.9
47.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.1 $52.1
$34.32 $34.32
51.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 $117
$79.1 $79.1
47.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 $135
$61.0 $61.0
120.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
El Dorado, AR
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,347 $4,347
$1,537 $1,537
182.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,117 $3,117
$678 $678
360.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$9,110 $9,110
$1,892 $1,892
381.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,379 $5,379
$941 $941
471.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$19.3K $19.3K
$1,185 $1,185
1527.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,943 $6,943
$1,146 $1,146
506.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
El Dorado, AR
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,238 $5,238
$4,169 $4,169
25.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.85
6.75
1.48%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Last update for El Dorado, AR: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3.1K
El Dorado, AR
$678 78.3% $2.4K
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$552
El Dorado, AR
$366 33.7% $186
Eating Out
New York, NY
$407
El Dorado, AR
$291 28.6% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$365
El Dorado, AR
$233 36.3% $133
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$170
El Dorado, AR
$101 40.5% $69
Getting Around
New York, NY
$168
El Dorado, AR
$17 * 89.7% $151
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$158
El Dorado, AR
$61 61.7% $98

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,347 in New York, NY and $1,537 in El Dorado, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 26% 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: $120 in New York, NY vs $59.0 in El Dorado, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $552 vs $366 per month, with El Dorado, AR cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇺🇸 El Dorado, AR
🕒 Local time
06:21 6:21 AM
05:21 5:21 AM
1 h behind New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
17,756
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY El Dorado, AR 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • El Dorado, AR

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 El Dorado, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is El Dorado, AR cheaper than New York, NY?
El Dorado, AR is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 183% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: New York, NY or El Dorado, AR?
Average pay runs 26% 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.
What is the rent difference between New York, NY and El Dorado, AR?
Rent for a central apartment: $4,347 in New York, NY versus $1,537 in El Dorado, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in New York, NY and in El Dorado, AR?
Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in New York, NY and in El Dorado, AR?
All in, you'll spend $4,938 per month in New York, NY versus $1,746 in El Dorado, AR – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in New York, NY or in El Dorado, AR?
At $1,746 in El Dorado, AR versus $4,938 in New York, NY, a $2,500 budget is realistic in El Dorado, AR but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes El Dorado, AR the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is New York, NY or El Dorado, AR more family-friendly?
For families, El Dorado, AR is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in New York, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find El Dorado, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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