Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Huntington Beach, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Huntington Beach, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,841 in New York, NY versus $3,549 in Huntington Beach, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,287 in New York, NY versus $5,941 in Huntington Beach, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,734 in New York, NY versus $8,333 in Huntington Beach, CA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 36% more expensive than in Huntington Beach, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 254% above, Huntington Beach, CA 159% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 $25.33

$15.75 $15.75

60.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$101 $101

40.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$14.86 $14.86

-7.27%

Cappuccino

$6.19 $6.19

$6.16 $6.16

0.49%

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

$3.69 $3.69

$3.22 $3.22

14.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.20 $2.20

34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$7.36 $7.36

5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$7.98 $7.98

27.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.23 $1.23

13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.68 $4.68

-1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.43 $4.43

56.66%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$4.85 $4.85

19.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 $17.32

$15.32 $15.32

13.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.04 $15.04

$17.59 $17.59

-14.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.02 $18.02

$15.25 $15.25

18.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$5.63 $5.63

11.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.74 $1.74

22.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.22 $4.22

37.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$6.44 $6.44

-2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.42 $4.42

-23.30%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.64 $3.64

17.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.40 $2.40

15.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.19 $2.19

16.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 $18.70

$10.79 $10.79

73.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.30 $20.30

$15.12 $15.12

34.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.95 $1.95

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.52 $2.52

59.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.48 $1.48

100.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$25.30 $25.30

446.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$4.41 $4.41

-29.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.81 $1.81

18.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.56 $41.56

$36.14 $36.14

15.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.49 $1.49

-24.16%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$37.5K $37.5K

-5.50%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.3K $25.3K

0.98%

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

$236 $236

$232 $232

1.85%

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

$73.7 $73.7

$63.2 $63.2

16.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$71.8 $71.8

0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$45.55 $45.55

174.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.1 $63.1

Cinema Ticket

$23.37 $23.37

$13.94 $13.94

67.65%

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

$3,353 $3,353

$1,430 $1,430

134.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.0K $61.0K

$36.4K $36.4K

67.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$72.8 $72.8

-0.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 $52.2

$41.13 $41.13

26.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$79.9 $79.9

45.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$126 $126

-2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,438 $4,438

$2,673 $2,673

66.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,045 $3,045

$2,186 $2,186

39.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,088 $9,088

$4,946 $4,946

83.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,404 $5,404

$5,199 $5,199

3.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K $18.8K

$7,936 $7,936

137.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,500 $6,500

$5,196 $5,196

25.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,258 $5,258

$5,427 $5,427

-3.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.24

4.01%

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

Last update for New York, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Huntington Beach, CA: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,438 in New York, NY and $2,673 in Huntington Beach, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Huntington Beach, 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: $142 in New York, NY vs $101 in Huntington Beach, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $516 vs $465 per month, with Huntington Beach, 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 Huntington Beach, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Huntington Beach, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Huntington Beach, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Huntington Beach, 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: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $2,673 in Huntington Beach, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Huntington Beach, CA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $142 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. Huntington Beach, 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 Huntington Beach, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,549 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Huntington Beach, CA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Huntington Beach, 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 Huntington Beach, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.