Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and San Rafael, CA

For one person, living costs are similar in New York, NY and in San Rafael, CA: $4,950 and $4,929 a month, rent and utilities included.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
238

Cost of Living Index in San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,929

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,950 per month in New York, NY vs $4,929 in San Rafael, CA, rent included.

New York, NY $4,950
San Rafael, CA $4,929

A couple spends around $7,265 per month in New York, NY vs $6,391 in San Rafael, CA, rent included.

New York, NY $7,265
San Rafael, CA $6,391

A family of three spends $9,581 per month in New York, NY vs $7,853 in San Rafael, CA, rent included.

New York, NY $9,581
San Rafael, CA $7,853

New York, NY and San Rafael, CA have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both New York, NY and San Rafael, CA sit above the global median – New York, NY by 267%, San Rafael, CA by 265%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$24.68 $24.68

-0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$120 $120

1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 $13.91

$12.05 $12.05

15.44%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$4.74 $4.74

39.03%

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

$3.84 $3.84

$3.03 $3.03

26.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.93 $2.93

-2.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$5.38 $5.38

44.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$6.98 $6.98

41.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.42 $1.42

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$4.51 $4.51

3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$9.69 $9.69

-22.19%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$5.42 $5.42

9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$23.21 $23.21

-18.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$15.45 $15.45

12.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$18.15 $18.15

1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$7.63 $7.63

-11.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.93 $2.93

-28.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$6.29 $6.29

-3.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$8.58 $8.58

-21.45%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$5.89 $5.89

-31.24%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.44 $5.44

-19.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.07 $3.07

-5.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.89 $3.89

-33.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.85 $10.85

72.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 $20.06

$12.96 $12.96

54.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.23 $2.23

45.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.99 $2.99

24.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.05 $2.05

49.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$65.7 $65.7

113.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$4.10 $4.10

-25.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$4.44 $4.44

-51.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.82 $41.82

$28.84 $28.84

45.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.44 $1.44

-22.22%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$32.0K $32.0K

10.64%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.50%

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

$219 $219

$253 $253

-13.59%

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

$73.2 $73.2

$85.4 $85.4

-14.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$61.3 $61.3

17.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

$124 $124

-0.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.7 $67.7

$30.21 $30.21

124.00%

Cinema Ticket

$22.85 $22.85

$13.14 $13.14

73.90%

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

$3,333 $3,333

$2,088 $2,088

59.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.0K $60.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

139.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$59.7 $59.7

25.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$42.92 $42.92

22.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$96.8 $96.8

25.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$126 $126

5.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,389 $4,389

$3,074 $3,074

42.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,130 $3,130

$3,202 $3,202

-2.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,918 $8,918

$4,278 $4,278

108.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,354 $5,354

$3,860 $3,860

38.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K $19.4K

$7,456 $7,456

160.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,806 $6,806

$5,281 $5,281

28.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,343 $5,343

$7,077 $7,077

-24.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.62

3.02%

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 San Rafael, 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%

San Rafael, CA

$3.2K 65% 2.3% $72

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$545 11%

San Rafael, CA

$575 11.7% 5.6% $30

Eating Out

New York, NY

$404 8.2%

San Rafael, CA

$355 7.2% 12% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

San Rafael, CA

$400 8.1% 9.9% $36

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$172 3.5%

San Rafael, CA

$147 3% 14.8% $25

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

San Rafael, CA

$150 3% 10.9% $18

Getting Around

New York, NY

$167 3.4%

San Rafael, CA

$100 2% 39.8% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,389 in New York, NY versus $3,074 in San Rafael, 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 32% higher in San Rafael, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $122 in New York, NY versus $120 in San Rafael, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $545 in New York, NY vs $575 in San Rafael, CA – so New York, NY wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🕒 Local time

16:33 4:33 PM

13:33 1:33 PM

3 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

58,704

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

New York, NY San Rafael, CA 4,120 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,424 per month in New York, NY and $7,394 in San Rafael, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in New York, NY – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $3,333 per month in New York, NY and $2,088 in San Rafael, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,950 in New York, NY and $4,929 in San Rafael, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Rafael, CA costs $4,929 versus $4,950 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 San Rafael, 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.