Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Monterey Park, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Monterey Park, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,415 in New York, NY versus $2,949 in Monterey Park, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,980 in New York, NY versus $4,841 in Monterey Park, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,544 in New York, NY versus $6,733 in Monterey Park, CA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 50% more expensive than in Monterey Park, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 230% above, Monterey Park, CA 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.48 $29.48

$25.48 $25.48

15.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 $143

$86.5 $86.5

65.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 $12.41

$11.87 $11.87

4.55%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$5.09 $5.09

19.45%

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

$3.33 $3.33

$2.65 $2.65

25.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.34 $2.34

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 $8.17

$8.02 $8.02

1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$6.86 $6.86

75.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.19 $1.19

36.13%

White Bread (500g)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.97 $3.97

27.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.12 $8.12

$4.14 $4.14

96.14%

Eggs

$6.87 $6.87

$7.17 $7.17

-4.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 $17.61

$12.65 $12.65

39.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$8.83 $8.83

85.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.81 $19.81

$14.47 $14.47

36.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$3.50 $3.50

118.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.94 $1.94

30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$4.16 $4.16

34.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.90 $4.90

30.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$3.11 $3.11

23.47%

Onion (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.52 $2.52

62.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.90 $1.90

62.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.20 $2.20

13.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.83 $18.83

$10.80 $10.80

74.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 $19.67

$14.70 $14.70

33.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.62 $2.62

14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.28 $3.28

14.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.96 $1.96

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$133 $133

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.07 $3.07

64.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.72 $1.72

27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.75 $42.75

$29.08 $29.08

47.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.25 $1.25

-22.40%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$23.7K $23.7K

47.50%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$24.5K $24.5K

15.37%

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

$182 $182

$233 $233

-22.01%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$66.5 $66.5

-9.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 $63.5

$70.7 $70.7

-10.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$43.34 $43.34

229.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.6 $63.6

Cinema Ticket

$19.89 $19.89

$13.77 $13.77

44.44%

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

$3,129 $3,129

$1,190 $1,190

162.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$58.2K $58.2K

$24.1K $24.1K

141.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$55.3 $55.3

22.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.20 $47.20

$46.28 $46.28

1.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$102 $102

10.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$174 $174

$152 $152

14.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,145 $4,145

$1,621 $1,621

155.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,551 $1,551

73.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,255 $8,255

$2,626 $2,626

214.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,298 $5,298

$3,582 $3,582

47.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K $18.5K

$2,998 $2,998

518.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,505 $6,505

$2,613 $2,613

148.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,520 $5,520

$2,763 $2,763

99.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.49

-0.77%

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

Last update for New York, NY: July 13, 2026

Last update for Monterey Park, CA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,145 in New York, NY and $1,621 in Monterey Park, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 100% 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 $87.0 in Monterey Park, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $553 vs $390 per month, with Monterey Park, 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 Monterey Park, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterey Park, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 50% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Monterey Park, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 100% 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: $4,145 in New York, NY versus $1,621 in Monterey Park, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $4,415 per month in New York, NY versus $2,949 in Monterey Park, CA – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Monterey Park, CA 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 Monterey Park, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,949 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Monterey Park, CA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Monterey Park, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Monterey Park, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.