Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Pasadena, CA: $4,276 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
207

Cost of Living Index in Pasadena, CA
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Pasadena, CA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,276

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Pasadena, 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 Pasadena, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,950 per month in New York, NY vs $4,276 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

New York, NY $4,950
Pasadena, CA $4,276

A couple spends around $7,265 per month in New York, NY vs $6,133 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

New York, NY $7,265
Pasadena, CA $6,133

A family of three spends $9,581 per month in New York, NY vs $7,990 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

New York, NY $9,581
Pasadena, CA $7,990

New York, NY costs about 16% more than Pasadena, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Pasadena, CA sit above the global median – New York, NY by 267%, Pasadena, CA by 217%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$17.89 $17.89

37.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$76.4 $76.4

59.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 $13.91

$10.11 $10.11

37.59%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$4.61 $4.61

42.95%

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

$3.84 $3.84

$2.82 $2.82

36.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.59 $1.59

80.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$4.95 $4.95

57.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$5.71 $5.71

72.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.39 $1.39

-0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$4.00 $4.00

17.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$2.93 $2.93

157.34%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$5.22 $5.22

13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$13.74 $13.74

37.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$13.94 $13.94

24.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$12.58 $12.58

47.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.60 $4.60

46.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.25 $2.25

-7.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$4.54 $4.54

33.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$6.13 $6.13

9.95%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$4.64 $4.64

-12.72%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.39 $2.39

82.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.86 $1.86

55.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.22 $2.22

17.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.64 $11.64

60.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 $20.06

$10.96 $10.96

83.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.59 $1.59

104.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.90 $1.90

96.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.75 $1.75

74.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$103 $103

36.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.54 $3.54

-14.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.89 $1.89

13.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.82 $41.82

$24.02 $24.02

74.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.58 $1.58

-29.11%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$33.4K $33.4K

6.16%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.5K $25.5K

2.00%

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

$219 $219

$248 $248

-11.82%

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

$73.2 $73.2

$59.1 $59.1

23.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$64.4 $64.4

11.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

$34.90 $34.90

251.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.7 $67.7

$35.33 $35.33

91.54%

Cinema Ticket

$22.85 $22.85

$12.21 $12.21

87.14%

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

$3,333 $3,333

$3,835 $3,835

-13.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.0K $60.0K

$15.2K $15.2K

295.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$31.04 $31.04

142.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$33.98 $33.98

54.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$71.2 $71.2

70.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$142 $142

-6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,389 $4,389

$3,169 $3,169

38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,130 $3,130

$2,907 $2,907

7.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,918 $8,918

$5,545 $5,545

60.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,354 $5,354

$4,978 $4,978

7.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K $19.4K

$8,747 $8,747

121.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,806 $6,806

$8,647 $8,647

-21.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,343 $5,343

$5,199 $5,199

2.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.33

7.74%

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

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

Last update for Pasadena, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2%

Pasadena, CA

$2.9K 68% 7.1% $222

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$545 11%

Pasadena, CA

$407 9.5% 25.3% $138

Eating Out

New York, NY

$404 8.2%

Pasadena, CA

$282 6.6% 30% $121

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Pasadena, CA

$372 8.7% 2.1% $7.7

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$172 3.5%

Pasadena, CA

$125 2.9% 27.3% $47

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Pasadena, CA

$59 1.4% 64.8% $109

Getting Around

New York, NY

$167 3.4%

Pasadena, CA

$123 2.9% 26.2% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,389 in New York, NY versus $3,169 in Pasadena, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in New York, NY versus $76.0 in Pasadena, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $545 vs $407 – making Pasadena, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

20:57 8:57 PM

3 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

137,122

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New York, NY Pasadena, CA 3,910 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
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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 Pasadena, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 16% more than Pasadena, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,424 per month in New York, NY and $6,414 in Pasadena, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $3,333 per month in New York, NY and $3,835 in Pasadena, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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.

$5,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,950 in New York, NY and $4,276 in Pasadena, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pasadena, CA costs $4,276 versus $4,950 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Pasadena, 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.