Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Waco, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Waco, TX: $2,447 a month against $5,142 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $32,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

245

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$5,142

/mo nomad

Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,447

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Waco, TX

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 Waco, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $5,142 per month in New York, NY vs $2,447 in Waco, TX, rent included.

New York, NY $5,142
Waco, TX $2,447

A couple spends around $7,455 per month in New York, NY vs $3,090 in Waco, TX, rent included.

New York, NY $7,455
Waco, TX $3,090

A family of three spends $9,767 per month in New York, NY vs $3,734 in Waco, TX, rent included.

New York, NY $9,767
Waco, TX $3,734

New York, NY costs about 110% more than Waco, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Waco, TX sit above the global median – New York, NY by 284%, Waco, TX by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.46 $26.46

$15.21 $15.21

73.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$59.0 $59.0

101.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.43 $14.43

$12.18 $12.18

18.47%

Cappuccino

$6.55 $6.55

$5.39 $5.39

21.52%

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

$3.84 $3.84

$1.77 $1.77

116.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.49 $1.49

101.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.27 $8.27

$4.93 $4.93

67.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 $10.05

$5.52 $5.52

82.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$0.76 $0.76

72.37%

White Bread (500g)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.16 $3.16

55.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.16 $7.16

$2.03 $2.03

252.71%

Eggs

$5.92 $5.92

$2.78 $2.78

112.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.06 $19.06

$12.06 $12.06

58.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$9.70 $9.70

79.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 $18.94

$11.67 $11.67

62.30%

Apples (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.83 $3.83

81.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.12 $1.12

85.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.10 $6.10

$3.86 $3.86

58.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.95 $6.95

$3.71 $3.71

87.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.27 $2.27

75.33%

Onion (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.86 $2.86

55.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.76 $1.76

59.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.99 $0.99

153.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.27 $19.27

$8.54 $8.54

125.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 $19.67

$13.49 $13.49

45.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.68 $1.68

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 $3.68

$3.81 $3.81

-3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.54 $1.54

96.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$40.12 $40.12

247.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$9.93 $9.93

-69.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.90 $1.90

12.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.21 $41.21

$59.4 $59.4

-30.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.89 $0.89

24.72%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$36.2K $36.2K

-3.39%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.0K $25.0K

1.53%

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

$217 $217

$175 $175

23.96%

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

$74.0 $74.0

$40.53 $40.53

82.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$54.7 $54.7

32.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$27.96 $27.96

330.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$66.9 $66.9

Cinema Ticket

$22.32 $22.32

$9.07 $9.07

146.09%

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

$3,425 $3,425

$747 $747

358.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.2K $61.2K

$18.2K $18.2K

236.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 $76.3

$47.91 $47.91

59.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$38.27 $38.27

44.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$85.3 $85.3

39.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$95.4 $95.4

36.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,506 $4,506

$1,244 $1,244

262.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,155 $3,155

$1,328 $1,328

137.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,817 $8,817

$1,541 $1,541

472.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,532 $5,532

$1,374 $1,374

302.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K $19.4K

$1,970 $1,970

884.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,754 $6,754

$1,955 $1,955

245.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,290 $5,290

$3,156 $3,156

67.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.49

5.08%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 3, 2026

Last update for Waco, TX: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.2K 63.2%

Waco, TX

$1.3K 55% 57.9% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$546 11%

Waco, TX

$312 12.9% 42.8% $234

Eating Out

New York, NY

$422 8.5%

Waco, TX

$272 11.3% 35.7% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.3%

Waco, TX

$271 11.2% 25.6% $93

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$172 3.4%

Waco, TX

$120 5% 30.1% $52

Getting Around

New York, NY

$165 3.3%

Waco, TX

$66 2.7% 60.2% $100

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$165 3.3%

Waco, TX

$46 1.9% 72.1% $119

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,506 in New York, NY versus $1,244 in Waco, TX. 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 68% 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 $119 in New York, NY versus $59.0 in Waco, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $312 – making Waco, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🕒 Local time

10:43 10:43 AM

09:43 9:43 AM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

138,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

New York, NY Waco, TX 2,290 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Waco, TX

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 Waco, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 110% more than Waco, TX, 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 $7,714 per month in New York, NY and $3,670 in Waco, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $3,425 per month in New York, NY and $747 in Waco, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Waco, TX, where all-in costs run around $2,447, than in New York, NY at $5,142. In Waco, TX it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Waco, TX costs $2,447 versus $5,142 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Waco, TX. 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.