Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and University Place, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in University Place, WA: $2,876 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $24,400 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
137

Cost of Living Index in University Place, WA
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University Place, WA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

University Place, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in University Place, WA

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 University Place, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $2,876 in University Place, WA, rent included.

New York, NY $4,906
University Place, WA $2,876

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $4,279 in University Place, WA, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
University Place, WA $4,279

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $5,682 in University Place, WA, rent included.

New York, NY $9,641
University Place, WA $5,682

New York, NY costs about 71% more than University Place, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both New York, NY and University Place, WA sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, University Place, WA by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.93 $26.93

$23.38 $23.38

15.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 $117

$101 $101

15.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.60 $14.60

$12.15 $12.15

20.16%

Cappuccino

$6.54 $6.54

$6.08 $6.08

7.57%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$3.12 $3.12

23.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.14 $3.14

-6.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.93 $7.93

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$7.86 $7.86

25.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.10 $1.10

19.09%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.05 $4.05

22.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$5.95 $5.95

29.41%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$4.97 $4.97

22.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$16.11 $16.11

21.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.59 $17.59

$18.19 $18.19

-3.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.26 $20.26

$23.33 $23.33

-13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$5.91 $5.91

18.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.77 $1.77

24.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$5.55 $5.55

21.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.48 $4.48

58.93%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.48 $3.48

32.47%

Onion (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.82 $2.82

69.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.96 $1.96

46.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.06 $3.06

-12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.14 $19.14

$12.43 $12.43

53.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 $19.63

$18.17 $18.17

8.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.75 $1.75

89.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$4.95 $4.95

-15.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.13 $2.13

41.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$65.8 $65.8

111.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.66 $2.66

14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.70 $1.70

29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$30.49 $30.49

35.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.45 $1.45

-22.07%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.9K $27.9K

23.49%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.5K $26.5K

-2.43%

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

$232 $232

$233 $233

-0.29%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$68.7 $68.7

3.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$88.6 $88.6

-23.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$39.56 $39.56

191.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$22.41 $22.41

$17.88 $17.88

25.34%

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

$3,606 $3,606

$2,087 $2,087

72.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$68.7K $68.7K

$27.9K $27.9K

146.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 $79.3

$60.3 $60.3

31.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$44.90 $44.90

14.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$130 $130

-6.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$127 $127

10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,555 $4,555

$1,573 $1,573

189.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,040 $3,040

$1,280 $1,280

137.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,742 $9,742

$2,599 $2,599

274.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,331 $5,331

$2,111 $2,111

152.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$2,918 $2,918

524.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,685 $6,685

$2,644 $2,644

152.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,096 $5,096

$8,149 $8,149

-37.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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 University Place, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3K 62%

University Place, WA

$1.3K 44.5% 57.9% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$567 11.6%

University Place, WA

$505 17.6% 11% $62

Eating Out

New York, NY

$425 8.7%

University Place, WA

$377 13.1% 11.4% $48

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$371 7.6%

University Place, WA

$390 13.6% 5.2% $19

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$176 3.6%

University Place, WA

$163 5.7% 7.6% $13

Getting Around

New York, NY

$165 3.4%

University Place, WA

$85 3% 48.4% $80

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$160 3.3%

University Place, WA

$75 2.6% 53% $85

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,555 in New York, NY versus $1,573 in University Place, WA. 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 60% higher in University Place, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $117 in New York, NY versus $101 in University Place, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $505 – making University Place, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 University Place, WA

🕒 Local time

13:55 1:55 PM

10:55 10:55 AM

3 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

34,866

💱 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 University Place, WA 3,880 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
University Place, WA

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 University Place, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 71% more than University Place, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. 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 $4,314 in University Place, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in University Place, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,573 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,606 per month in New York, NY and $2,087 in University Place, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

For expats, University Place, WA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 41% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.