Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Scranton, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Scranton, PA: $2,386 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $30,700 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
114

Cost of Living Index in Scranton, PA
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Scranton, PA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Scranton, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,386

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Scranton, PA

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 Scranton, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $2,386 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

New York, NY $4,941
Scranton, PA $2,386

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $3,328 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

New York, NY $7,225
Scranton, PA $3,328

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $4,270 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

New York, NY $9,509
Scranton, PA $4,270

New York, NY costs about 107% more than Scranton, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Scranton, PA sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Scranton, PA by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$11.79 $11.79

142.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$77.1 $77.1

53.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$6.01 $6.01

150.25%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$4.37 $4.37

49.43%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$1.52 $1.52

160.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.02 $1.02

195.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.71 $6.71

21.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$7.69 $7.69

27.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.75 $0.75

82.67%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.38 $1.38

260.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$2.13 $2.13

266.67%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$3.31 $3.31

80.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$10.91 $10.91

73.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$8.67 $8.67

108.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$11.19 $11.19

70.24%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$3.67 $3.67

84.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.28 $1.28

77.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$3.36 $3.36

103.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.46 $4.46

58.97%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.01 $3.01

40.20%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.24 $3.24

43.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.02 $2.02

42.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.03 $1.03

152.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$9.28 $9.28

102.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$12.04 $12.04

67.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.93 $2.93

17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.81 $4.81

-16.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.78 $1.78

63.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$60.6 $60.6

129.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.22 $3.22

-4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.00 $2.00

6.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$24.65 $24.65

70.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.09 $1.09

7.34%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.1K $27.1K

27.33%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.28%

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

$219 $219

$237 $237

-7.32%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$39.88 $39.88

86.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$49.44 $49.44

42.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$24.90 $24.90

349.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

$15.78 $15.78

374.40%

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$11.20 $11.20

97.68%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$769 $769

362.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$17.8K $17.8K

248.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$45.86 $45.86

64.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$30.04 $30.04

70.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$73.8 $73.8

66.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$84.0 $84.0

66.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$1,274 $1,274

253.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,304 $1,304

136.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$2,143 $2,143

340.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$1,880 $1,880

176.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$1,703 $1,703

963.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$1,421 $1,421

371.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$3,250 $3,250

60.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.67

2.85%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Scranton, PA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Scranton, PA

$1.3K 54.7% 57.6% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Scranton, PA

$299 12.5% 46.9% $264

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Scranton, PA

$224 9.4% 49.1% $216

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Scranton, PA

$326 13.7% 10.4% $38

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Scranton, PA

$105 4.4% 40% $70

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Scranton, PA

$81 3.4% 50.8% $83

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Scranton, PA

$47 2% 69.7% $109

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,274 in Scranton, PA. 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 61% 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 $118 in New York, NY versus $77 in Scranton, PA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $299 – making Scranton, PA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Scranton, PA

🕒 Local time

21:02 9:02 PM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

72,861

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Scranton, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 107% more than Scranton, PA, 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 $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $3,579 in Scranton, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Scranton, PA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,274 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $769 in Scranton, PA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Families tend to lean toward Scranton, PA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Scranton, PA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.