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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,557 in New York, NY versus $3,321 in Long Beach, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,115 in New York, NY versus $4,753 in Long Beach, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,674 in New York, NY versus $6,185 in Long Beach, CA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 37% more expensive than Long Beach, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 240% above, Long Beach, CA 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.90 $29.90

$18.04 $18.04

65.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$80.2 $80.2

78.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.67 $12.67

$14.71 $14.71

-13.87%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$5.08 $5.08

13.78%

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

$3.40 $3.40

$3.05 $3.05

11.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.20 $2.20

22.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$7.41 $7.41

8.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.86 $11.86

$7.96 $7.96

48.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.13 $1.13

42.48%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.11 $4.11

25.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.17 $8.17

$4.35 $4.35

87.82%

Eggs

$7.16 $7.16

$3.82 $3.82

87.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 $17.24

$12.36 $12.36

39.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.17 $16.17

$12.60 $12.60

28.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.46 $20.46

$15.15 $15.15

35.05%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 $7.33

$4.59 $4.59

59.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.65 $1.65

46.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$3.89 $3.89

47.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.77 $4.77

36.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.98 $2.98

27.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.43 $2.43

62.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.09 $2.09

47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.17 $2.17

13.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.03 $19.03

$10.95 $10.95

73.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$14.78 $14.78

36.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.74 $1.74

66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.53 $2.53

47.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.78 $1.78

60.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$130 $130

$69.2 $69.2

87.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.96 $2.96

67.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 $2.24

$4.23 $4.23

-47.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.20 $42.20

$27.93 $27.93

51.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.24 $1.24

-22.58%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

36.73%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$26.7K $26.7K

5.19%

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

$183 $183

$155 $155

18.42%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$53.2 $53.2

11.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 $63.4

$58.1 $58.1

9.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$39.66 $39.66

254.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.9 $63.9

Cinema Ticket

$19.98 $19.98

$14.88 $14.88

34.27%

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

$3,153 $3,153

$1,526 $1,526

106.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.3K $56.3K

$28.3K $28.3K

98.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 $67.7

$48.36 $48.36

39.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.48 $48.48

$34.20 $34.20

41.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$98.9 $98.9

16.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 $170

$101 $101

68.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,113 $4,113

$2,380 $2,380

72.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$2,123 $2,123

24.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,230 $8,230

$3,618 $3,618

127.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,113 $5,113

$3,317 $3,317

54.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$7,099 $7,099

172.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,754 $8,754

$6,832 $6,832

28.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,049 $5,049

$4,352 $4,352

16.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.39

0.78%

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

Last update for New York, NY: April 25, 2026

Last update for Long Beach, CA: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,113 in New York, NY and $2,380 in Long Beach, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 16% 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: $143 in New York, NY vs $80.0 in Long Beach, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $553 vs $394 per month, with Long 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 Long Beach, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY and Long Beach, CA differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($4,557 vs $3,321 including rent). Long Beach, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

New York, NY pays 16% more on average, 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: $4,113 in New York, NY versus $2,380 in Long Beach, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Long Beach, CA – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $143 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,557 per month in New York, NY versus $3,321 in Long Beach, CA – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Long Beach, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Long Beach, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.