Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Los Banos, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Los Banos, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $2,423 in Los Banos, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,016 in New York, NY versus $3,504 in Los Banos, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,593 in New York, NY versus $4,584 in Los Banos, CA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 83% more expensive than Los Banos, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 231% above, Los Banos, CA 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.91 $29.91

$15.14 $15.14

97.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 $144

$80.9 $80.9

77.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.03 $10.03

22.83%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$4.85 $4.85

24.33%

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

$3.39 $3.39

$2.44 $2.44

38.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.02 $2.02

26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 $8.20

$7.05 $7.05

16.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.95 $11.95

$7.33 $7.33

63.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.96 $0.96

60.42%

White Bread (500g)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.25 $3.25

58.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$3.04 $3.04

177.30%

Eggs

$6.97 $6.97

$1.60 $1.60

335.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$8.45 $8.45

104.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 $16.24

$7.63 $7.63

112.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.95 $19.95

$12.42 $12.42

60.63%

Apples (1kg)

$7.45 $7.45

$3.33 $3.33

123.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.35 $1.35

79.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.68 $2.68

119.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$2.77 $2.77

127.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.83 $2.83

31.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.37 $2.37

68.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.28 $2.28

39.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.50 $2.50

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.09 $19.09

$10.81 $10.81

76.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.24 $20.24

$11.85 $11.85

70.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.94 $1.94

54.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.35 $1.35

186.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.03 $2.03

45.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 $131

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.59 $2.59

98.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.57 $1.57

40.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.64 $42.64

$29.57 $29.57

44.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.10 $1.10

-13.64%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$36.2K $36.2K

-4.57%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$31.5K $31.5K

-10.50%

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

$182 $182

$222 $222

-17.97%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$45.77 $45.77

31.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 $61.9

$66.2 $66.2

-6.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$42.52 $42.52

229.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.4 $64.4

Cinema Ticket

$20.33 $20.33

$14.71 $14.71

38.21%

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

$3,222 $3,222

$1,288 $1,288

150.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.2K $56.2K

$23.7K $23.7K

137.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 $65.9

$24.29 $24.29

171.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.20 $47.20

$22.08 $22.08

113.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$52.0 $52.0

113.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$61.0 $61.0

184.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,208 $4,208

$1,602 $1,602

162.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$1,378 $1,378

92.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,415 $8,415

$2,596 $2,596

224.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,170 $5,170

$2,236 $2,236

131.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K $20.1K

$2,742 $2,742

632.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,742 $8,742

$2,400 $2,400

264.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,144 $5,144

$6,614 $6,614

-22.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.63

-2.87%

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

Last update for New York, NY: April 20, 2026

Last update for Los Banos, CA: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,208 in New York, NY and $1,602 in Los Banos, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Banos, CA pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $144 in New York, NY vs $81 in Los Banos, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $299 per month, with Los Banos, 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 Los Banos, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Banos, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 83% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Los Banos, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Los Banos, CA earns 29% less. 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: $4,208 in New York, NY versus $1,602 in Los Banos, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $4,438 per month in New York, NY versus $2,423 in Los Banos, CA – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,423 in Los Banos, CA versus $4,438 in New York, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Los Banos, CA but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Los Banos, CA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Los Banos, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,423 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Los Banos, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Los Banos, CA 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.