Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Houston, MO Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Houston, MO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,878 in New York, NY versus $2,671 in Houston, MO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,262 in New York, NY versus $3,970 in Houston, MO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,645 in New York, NY versus $5,268 in Houston, MO.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 83% more expensive than in Houston, MO, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 255% above, Houston, MO 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.20 $25.20

$17.71 $17.71

42.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 $150

$77.7 $77.7

93.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.98 $13.98

$11.83 $11.83

18.17%

Cappuccino

$6.39 $6.39

$5.23 $5.23

22.18%

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

$4.01 $4.01

$2.50 $2.50

60.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.67 $1.67

74.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 $8.01

$5.66 $5.66

41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$6.90 $6.90

44.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.26 $1.26

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$4.80 $4.80

$3.84 $3.84

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$5.94 $5.94

14.65%

Eggs

$5.67 $5.67

$4.01 $4.01

41.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$13.15 $13.15

26.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$15.69 $15.69

-5.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$20.79 $20.79

-9.09%

Apples (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$8.47 $8.47

-28.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.33 $2.33

-7.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$5.60 $5.60

1.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.16 $5.16

17.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.25 $4.25

-17.88%

Onion (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$4.88 $4.88

-15.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.84 $2.84

-5.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.90 $2.90

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.04 $19.04

$7.93 $7.93

140.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 $19.73

$15.25 $15.25

29.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.83 $2.83

16.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.39 $3.39

17.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.83 $1.83

63.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.60 $3.60

-18.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.53 $1.53

38.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$40.77 $40.77

1.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.88 $0.88

26.14%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$35.6K $35.6K

-1.12%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

-0.12%

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

$218 $218

$247 $247

-11.75%

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

$76.5 $76.5

$69.9 $69.9

9.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$75.3 $75.3

0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$128 $128

$43.25 $43.25

195.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.2 $63.2

Cinema Ticket

$23.94 $23.94

$13.93 $13.93

71.86%

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

$3,313 $3,313

$1,410 $1,410

134.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.8K $60.8K

$24.2K $24.2K

151.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.0 $74.0

$59.7 $59.7

23.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 $56.3

$43.36 $43.36

29.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$88.0 $88.0

32.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$119 $119

9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,391 $4,391

$1,354 $1,354

224.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$1,315 $1,315

134.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,291 $9,291

$2,474 $2,474

275.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,460 $5,460

$2,124 $2,124

157.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$2,441 $2,441

690.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,723 $6,723

$2,345 $2,345

186.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,364 $5,364

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.09

5.58%

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 Houston, MO: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,391 in New York, NY and $1,354 in Houston, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $150 in New York, NY vs $78.0 in Houston, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $512 vs $496 per month, with Houston, MO 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 Houston, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Houston, MO is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $7,317 in New York, NY and $4,007 in Houston, MO to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,391 in New York, NY versus $1,354 in Houston, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,313 in New York, NY versus $1,410 in Houston, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Houston, MO – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $150 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,671 in Houston, MO versus $4,878 in New York, NY, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Houston, MO but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Houston, MO the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Houston, MO 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.

Expats usually find Houston, MO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.