Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Johnstown, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Johnstown, PA: $1,657 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $39,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
81

Cost of Living Index in Johnstown, PA
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Johnstown, PA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Johnstown, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,657

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Johnstown, PA

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 Johnstown, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,938 per month in New York, NY vs $1,657 in Johnstown, PA, rent included.

New York, NY $4,938
Johnstown, PA $1,657

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $2,417 in Johnstown, PA, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Johnstown, PA $2,417

A family of three spends $9,608 per month in New York, NY vs $3,177 in Johnstown, PA, rent included.

New York, NY $9,608
Johnstown, PA $3,177

New York, NY costs about 198% more than Johnstown, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Johnstown, PA sit above the global median – New York, NY by 264%, Johnstown, PA by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.99 $24.99

$13.58 $13.58

84.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$39.60 $39.60

203.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.74 $13.74

$7.19 $7.19

91.10%

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$6.34 $6.34

4.10%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$2.72 $2.72

40.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.60 $2.60

10.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$3.93 $3.93

102.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.06 $10.06

$5.88 $5.88

71.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.23 $1.23

11.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$1.39 $1.39

241.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$7.50 $7.50

2.53%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$5.32 $5.32

10.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$16.56 $16.56

16.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.83 $17.83

$4.65 $4.65

283.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$18.84 $18.84

1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$4.91 $4.91

36.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.32 $1.32

73.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$6.42 $6.42

-0.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$2.82 $2.82

139.36%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$0.96 $0.96

309.38%

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.02 $2.02

123.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.14 $2.14

30.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.71 $2.71

-7.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.10 $18.10

$9.97 $9.97

81.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$15.03 $15.03

34.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.72 $1.72

89.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$4.98 $4.98

-24.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 $143

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.96 $0.96

16.67%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$28.1K $28.1K

17.75%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.1K $27.1K

-5.01%

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

$219 $219

$147 $147

48.87%

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

$75.3 $75.3

$14.88 $14.88

406.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$69.5 $69.5

1.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 $116

$36.40 $36.40

217.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

Cinema Ticket

$21.37 $21.37

$9.26 $9.26

130.78%

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

$3,432 $3,432

$2,258 $2,258

52.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.7K $61.7K

$60.2K $60.2K

2.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 $74.9

$47.37 $47.37

58.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$36.50 $36.50

42.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$108 $108

8.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$122 $122

10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,347 $4,347

$643 $643

575.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 $3,117

$594 $594

424.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,110 $9,110

$900 $900

912.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,379 $5,379

$935 $935

475.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$829 $829

2225.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

$836 $836

730.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,238 $5,238

$2,182 $2,182

140.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.72

1.93%

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 Johnstown, PA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1%

Johnstown, PA

$594 35.9% 80.9% $2.5K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$552 11.2%

Johnstown, PA

$376 22.7% 32% $177

Eating Out

New York, NY

$407 8.2%

Johnstown, PA

$259 15.6% 36.4% $148

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$365 7.4%

Johnstown, PA

$232 14% 36.5% $133

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$170 3.5%

Johnstown, PA

$141 8.5% 17.1% $29

Getting Around

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Johnstown, PA

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$158 3.2%

Johnstown, PA

$55 3.3% 65.3% $103

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,347 in New York, NY versus $643 in Johnstown, PA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 140% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in New York, NY versus $40.00 in Johnstown, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $552 vs $376 – making Johnstown, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Johnstown, PA

🕒 Local time

02:02 2:02 AM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

22,269

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Johnstown, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 198%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,407 per month in New York, NY and $2,485 in Johnstown, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johnstown, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,938 in New York, NY and $1,657 in Johnstown, PA. That's a gap of about 198%.

Kindergarten costs $3,432 per month in New York, NY and $2,258 in Johnstown, PA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Johnstown, PA, where all-in costs run around $1,657, than in New York, NY at $4,938. In Johnstown, PA it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Johnstown, PA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Johnstown, PA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.