Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Winston-Salem, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in Winston-Salem, NC: $2,428 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $30,200 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
117

Cost of Living Index in Winston-Salem, NC
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Winston-Salem, NC Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Winston-Salem, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,428

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Winston-Salem, NC

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 Winston-Salem, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $2,428 in Winston-Salem, NC, rent included.

New York, NY $4,941
Winston-Salem, NC $2,428

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $3,722 in Winston-Salem, NC, rent included.

New York, NY $7,225
Winston-Salem, NC $3,722

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $5,016 in Winston-Salem, NC, rent included.

New York, NY $9,509
Winston-Salem, NC $5,016

New York, NY costs about 104% more than Winston-Salem, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both New York, NY and Winston-Salem, NC sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Winston-Salem, NC by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$22.94 $22.94

24.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$79.2 $79.2

49.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$10.19 $10.19

47.60%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$5.36 $5.36

21.83%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.87 $2.87

37.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.95 $1.95

54.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$5.14 $5.14

58.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$6.13 $6.13

60.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.45 $1.45

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.75 $4.75

4.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$9.80 $9.80

-20.31%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$5.46 $5.46

9.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$18.33 $18.33

3.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$13.95 $13.95

29.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$26.68 $26.68

-28.60%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$7.78 $7.78

-13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.11 $3.11

-27.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$7.03 $7.03

-2.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$7.42 $7.42

-4.45%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.91 $4.91

-14.05%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$6.04 $6.04

-23.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.76 $2.76

3.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.54 $3.54

-26.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$8.95 $8.95

109.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$14.82 $14.82

35.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.61 $1.61

114.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.60 $4.60

-12.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.02 $1.02

185.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$29.70 $29.70

367.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$6.85 $6.85

-55.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.24 $2.24

-5.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$14.85 $14.85

182.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.94 $0.94

24.47%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$29.7K $29.7K

16.14%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.21%

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

$219 $219

$176 $176

24.93%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$51.7 $51.7

43.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$62.9 $62.9

11.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$35.52 $35.52

215.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

$15.77 $15.77

374.70%

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$11.79 $11.79

87.79%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,279 $1,279

178.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$9,829 $9,829

532.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$38.64 $38.64

95.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$31.00 $31.00

65.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$84.4 $84.4

45.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$95.5 $95.5

46.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$1,501 $1,501

199.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,001 $1,001

207.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$2,667 $2,667

254.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$1,761 $1,761

194.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$5,103 $5,103

254.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$2,693 $2,693

148.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$3,714 $3,714

40.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.68

2.69%

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 Winston-Salem, NC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Winston-Salem, NC

$1K 41.2% 67.5% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Winston-Salem, NC

$578 23.8% 2.6% $15

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Winston-Salem, NC

$336 13.8% 23.8% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Winston-Salem, NC

$290 12% 20.2% $74

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Winston-Salem, NC

$112 4.6% 36% $63

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Winston-Salem, NC

$52 2.1% 68.5% $112

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Winston-Salem, NC

$59 2.4% 62.2% $97

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,501 in Winston-Salem, NC. 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 41% 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 $118 in New York, NY versus $79 in Winston-Salem, NC. Groceries tell a different story – $563 in New York, NY vs $578 in Winston-Salem, NC – so New York, NY wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Winston-Salem, NC

🕒 Local time

10:22 10:22 AM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

241,218

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Winston-Salem, NC 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Winston-Salem, NC

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 Winston-Salem, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 104% more than Winston-Salem, NC, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $3,642 in Winston-Salem, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Winston-Salem, NC, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,501 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $1,279 in Winston-Salem, NC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in New York, NY – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Winston-Salem, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,428, than in New York, NY at $4,941. In Winston-Salem, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Winston-Salem, NC – 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 Winston-Salem, NC. 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.