Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Wasilla, AK: $2,896 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY, United States
Wasilla, AK, United States
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,941
/mo nomad
Wasilla, AK
🇺🇸 United States
$2,896
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Wasilla, 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 Wasilla, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $2,896 in Wasilla, AK, rent included.

  • New York, NY $4,941
  • Wasilla, AK $2,896

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $4,119 in Wasilla, AK, rent included.

  • New York, NY $7,225
  • Wasilla, AK $4,119

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $5,343 in Wasilla, AK, rent included.

  • New York, NY $9,509
  • Wasilla, AK $5,343

New York, NY costs about 71% more than Wasilla, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Wasilla, AK sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Wasilla, AK by 113%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
Wasilla, AK
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.55 $28.55
$24.52 $24.52
16.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$118 $118
$101 $101
17.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.04 $15.04
$12.03 $12.03
25.02%
Cappuccino
$6.53 $6.53
$3.92 $3.92
66.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 $3.96
$2.01 $2.01
97.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 $3.01
$2.04 $2.04
47.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.16 $8.16
$5.62 $5.62
45.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.84 $9.84
$7.77 $7.77
26.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
Wasilla, AK
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 $1.37
$1.23 $1.23
11.38%
White Bread (500g)
$4.97 $4.97
$3.10 $3.10
60.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.81 $7.81
$6.31 $6.31
23.77%
Eggs
$5.97 $5.97
$3.27 $3.27
82.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.91 $18.91
$13.75 $13.75
37.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.04 $18.04
$10.21 $10.21
76.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.05 $19.05
$15.66 $15.66
21.65%
Apples (1kg)
$6.76 $6.76
$8.02 $8.02
-15.71%
Banana (1kg)
$2.27 $2.27
$2.21 $2.21
2.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.83 $6.83
$3.83 $3.83
78.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.09 $7.09
$4.32 $4.32
64.12%
Potato (1kg)
$4.22 $4.22
$2.58 $2.58
63.57%
Onion (1kg)
$4.65 $4.65
$3.19 $3.19
45.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.74 $2.74
4.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.60 $2.60
$2.25 $2.25
15.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$18.77 $18.77
$12.85 $12.85
46.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$20.13 $20.13
$17.92 $17.92
12.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.45 $3.45
$1.70 $1.70
102.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 $4.02
$3.45 $3.45
16.52%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
Wasilla, AK
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 $2.91
$1.96 $1.96
48.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$139 $139
$61.1 $61.1
127.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 $3.08
$2.76 $2.76
11.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 $2.12
$1.69 $1.69
25.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.96 $41.96
$38.01 $38.01
10.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.00 $1.00
17.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K $34.5K
$25.2K $25.2K
36.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$24.8K $24.8K
4.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
Wasilla, AK
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$273 $273
-19.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$74.2 $74.2
$47.81 $47.81
55.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.2 $70.2
$137 $137
-48.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
Wasilla, AK
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$112 $112
$86.6 $86.6
29.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$74.9 $74.9
$34.76 $34.76
115.36%
Cinema Ticket
$22.14 $22.14
$8.32 $8.32
166.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
Wasilla, AK
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,558 $3,558
$1,266 $1,266
181.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$62.2K $62.2K
$10.5K $10.5K
489.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
Wasilla, AK
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.6 $75.6
$48.84 $48.84
54.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.2 $51.2
$46.39 $46.39
10.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$123 $123
$79.7 $79.7
54.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 $140
$90.7 $90.7
54.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
Wasilla, AK
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,499 $4,499
$1,412 $1,412
218.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,078 $3,078
$1,381 $1,381
122.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$9,447 $9,447
$2,039 $2,039
363.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,190 $5,190
$2,022 $2,022
156.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.1K $18.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,693 $6,693
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
Wasilla, AK
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,220 $5,220
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.86
6.49
5.70%

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 Wasilla, AK: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3.1K
Wasilla, AK
$1.4K 55.1% $1.7K
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$563
Wasilla, AK
$415 26.4% $148
Eating Out
New York, NY
$440
Wasilla, AK
$339 23% $101
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$364
Wasilla, AK
$458 25.8% $94
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$175
Wasilla, AK
$120 31.9% $56
Getting Around
New York, NY
$164
Wasilla, AK
$80 51.2% $84
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$156
Wasilla, AK
$103 33.9% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,412 in Wasilla, AK. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in New York, NY versus $101 in Wasilla, AK. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $415 – making Wasilla, AK the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇺🇸 Wasilla, AK
🕒 Local time
12:03 12:03 PM
08:03 8:03 AM
4 h behind New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
9,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY Wasilla, AK 5,380 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • Wasilla, 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 Wasilla, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, New York, NY or Wasilla, AK?
New York, NY costs about 71% more than Wasilla, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in New York, NY and in Wasilla, AK?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $4,344 in Wasilla, AK. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, New York, NY or Wasilla, AK?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Wasilla, AK, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,412 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.
How do childcare costs compare in New York, NY and in Wasilla, AK?
Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $1,266 in Wasilla, AK. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in New York, NY or in Wasilla, AK?
Groceries cost about 36% 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.
Can you live on $2,500/month in New York, NY or in Wasilla, AK?
$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,941 in New York, NY and $2,896 in Wasilla, AK. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Wasilla, AK – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Wasilla, AK is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 71% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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