Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Union, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Union, SC: $2,365 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $30,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

234

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in Union, SC
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Union, SC Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Union, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,365

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Union, SC

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 Union, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $2,365 in Union, SC, rent included.

New York, NY $4,906
Union, SC $2,365

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $3,557 in Union, SC, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Union, SC $3,557

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $4,749 in Union, SC, rent included.

New York, NY $9,641
Union, SC $4,749

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.93 $26.93

$8.74 $8.74

208.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 $117

$99.8 $99.8

17.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.60 $14.60

$8.67 $8.67

68.40%

Cappuccino

$6.54 $6.54

$5.69 $5.69

14.94%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$2.20 $2.20

75.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.83 $1.83

61.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 $8.08

$2.76 $2.76

192.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$3.40 $3.40

189.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.09 $1.09

20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.36 $3.36

47.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$2.47 $2.47

211.74%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$3.19 $3.19

90.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$8.90 $8.90

119.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.59 $17.59

$13.02 $13.02

35.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.26 $20.26

$14.96 $14.96

35.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$2.75 $2.75

154.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.29 $1.29

71.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$3.27 $3.27

105.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.34 $4.34

64.06%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.29 $2.29

101.31%

Onion (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.05 $2.05

133.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.74 $1.74

64.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.23 $1.23

118.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.14 $19.14

$8.47 $8.47

125.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 $19.63

$8.77 $8.77

123.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.80 $1.80

84.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$5.22 $5.22

-19.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.20 $2.20

37.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$55.0 $55.0

153.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.78 $2.78

9.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.07 $3.07

-28.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$35.57 $35.57

16.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.95 $0.95

18.95%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$28.1K $28.1K

22.52%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

-0.42%

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

$232 $232

$177 $177

31.64%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$63.8 $63.8

11.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$45.59 $45.59

48.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$40.28 $40.28

186.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$22.41 $22.41

$11.72 $11.72

91.21%

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

$3,606 $3,606

$2,537 $2,537

42.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$68.7K $68.7K

$32.6K $32.6K

110.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 $79.3

$47.50 $47.50

66.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$20.79 $20.79

147.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$84.1 $84.1

43.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$100 $100

40.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,555 $4,555

$1,350 $1,350

237.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,040 $3,040

$1,289 $1,289

135.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,742 $9,742

$2,217 $2,217

339.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,331 $5,331

$2,191 $2,191

143.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$2,783 $2,783

554.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,685 $6,685

$2,649 $2,649

152.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,096 $5,096

$2,430 $2,430

109.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

72.25%

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

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Last update for Union, SC: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3K 62%

Union, SC

$1.3K 54.5% 57.6% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$567 11.6%

Union, SC

$330 13.9% 41.9% $237

Eating Out

New York, NY

$425 8.7%

Union, SC

$201 8.5% 52.7% $224

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$371 7.6%

Union, SC

$286 12.1% 23% $85

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$176 3.6%

Union, SC

$114 4.8% 35.6% $63

Getting Around

New York, NY

$165 3.4%

Union, SC

$82 3.5% 50.5% $83

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$160 3.3%

Union, SC

$64 2.7% 60.2% $96

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,555 in New York, NY versus $1,350 in Union, SC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in New York, NY are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $117 in New York, NY versus $100 in Union, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $330 – making Union, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Union, SC

🕒 Local time

19:29 7:29 PM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

8,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Union, SC 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Union, SC

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 Union, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 107% more than Union, SC, 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 $7,358 per month in New York, NY and $3,548 in Union, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Union, SC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,350 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,606 per month in New York, NY and $2,537 in Union, SC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,906 in New York, NY and $2,365 in Union, SC. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Union, SC – 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 Union, SC. 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.