Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Monrovia, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Monrovia, CA: $2,704 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $26,800 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
134

Cost of Living Index in Monrovia, CA
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Monrovia, CA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Monrovia, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Monrovia, CA

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 Monrovia, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,938 per month in New York, NY vs $2,704 in Monrovia, CA, rent included.

New York, NY $4,938
Monrovia, CA $2,704

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $4,049 in Monrovia, CA, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Monrovia, CA $4,049

A family of three spends $9,608 per month in New York, NY vs $5,394 in Monrovia, CA, rent included.

New York, NY $9,608
Monrovia, CA $5,394

New York, NY costs about 83% more than Monrovia, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both New York, NY and Monrovia, CA sit above the global median – New York, NY by 264%, Monrovia, CA by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.99 $24.99

$24.92 $24.92

0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$101 $101

18.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.74 $13.74

$11.66 $11.66

17.84%

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$5.61 $5.61

17.65%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$2.68 $2.68

42.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.97 $1.97

45.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$8.23 $8.23

-3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.06 $10.06

$9.63 $9.63

4.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.18 $1.18

16.10%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$5.85 $5.85

-18.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$4.23 $4.23

81.80%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$4.94 $4.94

18.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$12.40 $12.40

55.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.83 $17.83

$20.92 $20.92

-14.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$14.06 $14.06

35.35%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$5.62 $5.62

19.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.70 $1.70

34.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$4.29 $4.29

49.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$6.35 $6.35

6.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.63 $3.63

8.26%

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.50 $3.50

29.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.40 $2.40

16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.27 $2.27

10.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.10 $18.10

$11.63 $11.63

55.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$14.76 $14.76

36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.75 $1.75

86.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.10 $3.10

20.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.95 $1.95

49.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 $143

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$4.61 $4.61

-33.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.81 $1.81

19.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$35.58 $35.58

16.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.60 $1.60

-30.00%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$27.7K $27.7K

19.49%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

-3.19%

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

$219 $219

$218 $218

0.55%

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

$75.3 $75.3

$72.4 $72.4

3.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$71.3 $71.3

-1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 $116

$39.11 $39.11

195.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

Cinema Ticket

$21.37 $21.37

$11.79 $11.79

81.26%

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

$3,432 $3,432

$1,948 $1,948

76.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.7K $61.7K

$42.6K $42.6K

44.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 $74.9

$73.1 $73.1

2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$40.92 $40.92

27.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$80.5 $80.5

44.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$171 $171

-21.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,347 $4,347

$1,577 $1,577

175.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 $3,117

$1,235 $1,235

152.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,110 $9,110

$2,490 $2,490

265.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,379 $5,379

$2,041 $2,041

163.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$2,557 $2,557

654.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

$2,351 $2,351

195.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,238 $5,238

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.64

3.16%

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 Monrovia, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1%

Monrovia, CA

$1.2K 45.7% 60.4% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$552 11.2%

Monrovia, CA

$477 17.7% 13.6% $75

Eating Out

New York, NY

$407 8.2%

Monrovia, CA

$381 14.1% 6.5% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$365 7.4%

Monrovia, CA

$362 13.4% 0.9% $3.3

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$170 3.5%

Monrovia, CA

$165 6.1% 3.3% $5.6

Getting Around

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Monrovia, CA

$21 * 0.8% 87.2% $147

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$158 3.2%

Monrovia, CA

$63 2.3% 60.4% $96

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 $1,577 in Monrovia, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in New York, NY versus $101 in Monrovia, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $552 vs $477 – making Monrovia, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Monrovia, CA

🕒 Local time

17:03 5:03 PM

14:03 2:03 PM

3 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

36,590

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

New York, NY Monrovia, CA 3,900 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Monrovia, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Monrovia, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,938 in New York, NY, $2,704 in Monrovia, CA – roughly 83% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,407 per month in New York, NY and $4,056 in Monrovia, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in New York, NY and $101 in Monrovia, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,938 in New York, NY and $2,704 in Monrovia, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. New York, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,704 in Monrovia, CA to $4,938 in New York, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Monrovia, CA. 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.