Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Norfolk, VA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Norfolk, VA: $2,428 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $30,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Norfolk, VA
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Norfolk, VA Living Index
239

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

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Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,428

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Norfolk, VA and in New York, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Norfolk, VA and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,428 per month in Norfolk, VA vs $4,950 in New York, NY, rent included.

Norfolk, VA $2,428
New York, NY $4,950

A couple spends around $3,629 per month in Norfolk, VA vs $7,265 in New York, NY, rent included.

Norfolk, VA $3,629
New York, NY $7,265

A family of three spends $4,829 per month in Norfolk, VA vs $9,581 in New York, NY, rent included.

Norfolk, VA $4,829
New York, NY $9,581

Norfolk, VA is about 51% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Norfolk, VA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Norfolk, VA by 80%, New York, NY by 267%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 $18.58

$24.65 $24.65

-24.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 $91.0

$122 $122

-25.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 $11.54

$13.91 $13.91

-17.04%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$6.59 $6.59

-10.47%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$3.84 $3.84

-27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.87 $2.87

-27.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$7.79 $7.79

-20.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 $7.09

$9.85 $9.85

-28.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.38 $1.38

-28.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.68 $4.68

-15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$7.54 $7.54

-27.06%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$5.93 $5.93

-19.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$18.83 $18.83

-16.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$17.36 $17.36

-43.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$18.51 $18.51

-2.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$6.74 $6.74

-28.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.09 $2.09

-40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$6.07 $6.07

-18.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$6.74 $6.74

-15.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$4.05 $4.05

-44.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$4.37 $4.37

-17.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.89 $2.89

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.60 $2.60

-18.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$18.72 $18.72

-50.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$20.06 $20.06

-23.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.25 $3.25

-44.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.73 $3.73

-26.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.06 $3.06

-35.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 $104

$140 $140

-26.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.66 $4.66

$3.04 $3.04

53.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.15 $2.15

-37.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.09 $18.09

$41.82 $41.82

-56.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.12 $1.12

-11.61%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$35.5K $35.5K

-0.94%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.94%

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

$213 $213

$219 $219

-2.63%

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

$56.2 $56.2

$73.2 $73.2

-23.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$72.0 $72.0

-6.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.15 $40.15

$123 $123

-67.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

$67.7 $67.7

-73.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.77 $11.77

$22.85 $22.85

-48.49%

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

$1,480 $1,480

$3,333 $3,333

-55.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$60.0K $60.0K

-73.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$75.2 $75.2

-28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.10 $48.10

$52.4 $52.4

-8.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$122 $122

-24.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$133 $133

-9.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,233 $1,233

$4,389 $4,389

-71.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 $1,032

$3,130 $3,130

-67.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,158 $2,158

$8,918 $8,918

-75.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 $1,684

$5,354 $5,354

-68.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,458 $2,458

$19.4K $19.4K

-87.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,304 $2,304

$6,806 $6,806

-66.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 $3,423

$5,343 $5,343

-35.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.82

-3.67%

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

Last update for Norfolk, VA: October 11, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Norfolk, VA

$1K 42.5%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2% 203% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

Norfolk, VA

$412 17%

New York, NY

$545 11% 32.3% $133

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Norfolk, VA

$336 13.9%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 8.2% $28

Eating Out

Norfolk, VA

$319 13.1%

New York, NY

$404 8.2% 26.7% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Norfolk, VA

$142 5.8%

New York, NY

$172 3.5% 21.3% $30

Getting Around

Norfolk, VA

$123 5.1%

New York, NY

$167 3.4% 35.5% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Norfolk, VA

$64 2.6%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 164% $105

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,233 in Norfolk, VA versus $4,389 in New York, NY. 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 56% 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 $91.0 in Norfolk, VA versus $122 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 vs $545 – making Norfolk, VA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Norfolk, VA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

15:54 3:54 PM

Same time as Norfolk, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

242,803

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Norfolk, VA New York, NY 460 km

From you

Norfolk, VA
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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

Norfolk, VA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 104% more than Norfolk, VA, 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 $3,642 per month in Norfolk, VA and $7,424 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,480 per month in Norfolk, VA and $3,333 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Norfolk, VA, where all-in costs run around $2,428, than in New York, NY at $4,950. In Norfolk, VA 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. Norfolk, VA costs $2,428 versus $4,950 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 Norfolk, VA. 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.