Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Valdez, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Valdez, AK: $2,832 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $25,300 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
134

Cost of Living Index in Valdez, AK
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Valdez, AK Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Valdez, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,832

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Valdez, AK

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 Valdez, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $2,832 in Valdez, AK, rent included.

New York, NY $4,941
Valdez, AK $2,832

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $3,984 in Valdez, AK, rent included.

New York, NY $7,225
Valdez, AK $3,984

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $5,136 in Valdez, AK, rent included.

New York, NY $9,509
Valdez, AK $5,136

New York, NY costs about 74% more than Valdez, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Valdez, AK sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Valdez, AK by 108%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$23.31 $23.31

22.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$100 $100

18.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$20.23 $20.23

-25.65%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$4.24 $4.24

54.01%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.45 $2.45

61.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.30 $2.30

30.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$7.11 $7.11

14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$8.91 $8.91

10.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.04 $1.04

31.73%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.51 $3.51

41.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$4.34 $4.34

79.95%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$4.04 $4.04

47.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$12.69 $12.69

49.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$11.63 $11.63

55.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$17.11 $17.11

11.34%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.92 $4.92

37.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.66 $1.66

36.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$4.41 $4.41

54.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.72 $4.72

50.21%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.75 $2.75

53.45%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.08 $3.08

50.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.21 $2.21

29.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.27 $2.27

14.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$10.32 $10.32

81.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$14.91 $14.91

35.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.21 $2.21

56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.27 $3.27

22.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.91 $1.91

52.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$65.2 $65.2

113.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.83 $2.83

8.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.83 $1.83

15.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$33.54 $33.54

25.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.27 $1.27

-7.87%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$29.3K $29.3K

17.82%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$29.7K $29.7K

-12.98%

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

$219 $219

$305 $305

-28.04%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$58.6 $58.6

26.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$97.0 $97.0

-27.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$39.40 $39.40

184.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$14.11 $14.11

56.91%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,382 $1,382

157.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$22.8K $22.8K

173.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$46.44 $46.44

62.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$46.54 $46.54

10.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$79.9 $79.9

54.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$122 $122

14.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$1,631 $1,631

175.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,315 $1,315

134.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$2,665 $2,665

254.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$1,853 $1,853

180.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$2,457 $2,457

637.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$2,292 $2,292

192.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$7,491 $7,491

-30.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.57

4.41%

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 Valdez, AK: 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%

Valdez, AK

$1.3K 46.5% 57.3% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Valdez, AK

$400 14.1% 28.9% $163

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Valdez, AK

$370 13.1% 15.9% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Valdez, AK

$460 16.3% 26.6% $97

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Valdez, AK

$133 4.7% 24.2% $43

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Valdez, AK

$85 3% 48.4% $79

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Valdez, AK

$68 2.4% 56.7% $89

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,631 in Valdez, AK. 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 44% higher in Valdez, AK, 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 $118 in New York, NY versus $100 in Valdez, AK. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $400 – making Valdez, AK the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Valdez, AK

🕒 Local time

16:39 4:39 PM

12:39 12:39 PM

4 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

4,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

New York, NY Valdez, AK 5,220 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Valdez, AK

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 Valdez, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 74% more than Valdez, AK, 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 $4,248 in Valdez, AK. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valdez, AK, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,631 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $1,382 in Valdez, AK. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,941 in New York, NY and $2,832 in Valdez, AK. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Valdez, AK is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 43% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.