Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Kent, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Kent, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,841 in New York, NY versus $3,328 in Kent, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,287 in New York, NY versus $5,113 in Kent, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,734 in New York, NY versus $6,899 in Kent, WA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 45% more expensive than in Kent, WA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 254% above, Kent, WA 143% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 $25.33

$20.33 $20.33

24.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$80.3 $80.3

77.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$13.79 $13.79

-0.07%

Cappuccino

$6.19 $6.19

$4.87 $4.87

27.10%

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

$3.69 $3.69

$2.71 $2.71

36.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.08 $2.08

42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$6.90 $6.90

12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$8.21 $8.21

23.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.21 $1.21

14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.68 $4.68

-1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$3.23 $3.23

114.86%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$6.60 $6.60

-12.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 $17.32

$14.92 $14.92

16.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.04 $15.04

$14.06 $14.06

6.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.02 $18.02

$23.75 $23.75

-24.13%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$6.01 $6.01

4.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.88 $1.88

13.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.77 $3.77

53.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$4.32 $4.32

45.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.89 $2.89

17.30%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.59 $2.59

64.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.94 $1.94

42.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.59 $2.59

-1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 $18.70

$12.08 $12.08

54.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.30 $20.30

$15.10 $15.10

34.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.09 $2.09

50.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.02 $2.02

99.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.20 $3.20

-7.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$62.1 $62.1

122.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.65 $2.65

16.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.65 $1.65

29.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.56 $41.56

$30.05 $30.05

38.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.40 $1.40

-19.29%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$36.3K $36.3K

-2.36%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.65%

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

$236 $236

$311 $311

-23.97%

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

$73.7 $73.7

$61.9 $61.9

19.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$82.4 $82.4

-12.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$33.24 $33.24

276.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.1 $63.1

$17.33 $17.33

263.88%

Cinema Ticket

$23.37 $23.37

$17.89 $17.89

30.63%

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

$3,353 $3,353

$2,746 $2,746

22.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.0K $61.0K

$31.5K $31.5K

93.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$67.3 $67.3

7.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 $52.2

$54.0 $54.0

-3.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$101 $101

15.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$163 $163

-24.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,438 $4,438

$2,075 $2,075

113.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,045 $3,045

$1,791 $1,791

70.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,088 $9,088

$3,986 $3,986

127.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,404 $5,404

$3,564 $3,564

51.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K $18.8K

$5,955 $5,955

215.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,500 $6,500

$4,006 $4,006

62.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,258 $5,258

$4,612 $4,612

14.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.45

0.62%

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 Kent, WA: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,438 in New York, NY and $2,075 in Kent, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 14% 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: $142 in New York, NY vs $80.0 in Kent, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $516 vs $460 per month, with Kent, WA 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 Kent, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kent, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 45% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kent, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 14% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $2,075 in Kent, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kent, WA – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $142 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,841 per month in New York, NY versus $3,328 in Kent, WA – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Kent, WA 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 Kent, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,328 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kent, WA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kent, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.