Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pawtucket, RI and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Pawtucket, RI: $2,814 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $25,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in Pawtucket, RI
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Pawtucket, RI Living Index
239

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

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Pawtucket, RI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,814

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,814 per month in Pawtucket, RI vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Pawtucket, RI $2,814
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,260 per month in Pawtucket, RI vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Pawtucket, RI $4,260
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,705 per month in Pawtucket, RI vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Pawtucket, RI $5,705
New York, NY $9,509

Pawtucket, RI is about 43% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Pawtucket, RI and New York, NY sit above the global median – Pawtucket, RI by 107%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.15 $27.15

$28.55 $28.55

-4.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.6 $97.6

$118 $118

-17.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.40 $13.40

$15.04 $15.04

-10.90%

Cappuccino

$5.43 $5.43

$6.53 $6.53

-16.85%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$3.96 $3.96

-25.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$3.01 $3.01

-24.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 $8.11

$8.16 $8.16

-0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.97 $7.97

$9.84 $9.84

-19.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.37 $1.37

-24.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$4.97 $4.97

-20.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$7.81 $7.81

-32.39%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$5.97 $5.97

-21.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 $14.59

$18.91 $18.91

-22.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.51 $14.51

$18.04 $18.04

-19.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.96 $17.96

$19.05 $19.05

-5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$6.76 $6.76

-1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.27 $2.27

-20.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$6.83 $6.83

-20.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$7.09 $7.09

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$4.22 $4.22

-63.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$4.65 $4.65

-37.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.87 $2.87

0.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.60 $2.60

9.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.12 $13.12

$18.77 $18.77

-30.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.22 $14.22

$20.13 $20.13

-29.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.45 $3.45

-11.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$4.02 $4.02

6.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.91 $2.91

-32.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 $69.0

$139 $139

-50.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.08 $3.08

-14.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.12 $2.12

-15.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.93 $27.93

$41.96 $41.96

-33.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.17 $1.17

-11.11%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$34.5K $34.5K

-18.98%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.30%

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

$286 $286

$219 $219

30.50%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$74.2 $74.2

-6.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.4 $85.4

$70.2 $70.2

21.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.79 $24.79

$112 $112

-77.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$14.35 $14.35

$22.14 $22.14

-35.19%

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

$1,821 $1,821

$3,558 $3,558

-48.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K $30.2K

$62.2K $62.2K

-51.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 $55.9

$75.6 $75.6

-26.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.38 $39.38

$51.2 $51.2

-23.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 $91.6

$123 $123

-25.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$140 $140

5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,542 $1,542

$4,499 $4,499

-65.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 $1,213

$3,078 $3,078

-60.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,316 $2,316

$9,447 $9,447

-75.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 $2,203

$5,190 $5,190

-57.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,358 $4,358

$5,220 $5,220

-16.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.86

-3.21%

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

Last update for Pawtucket, RI: October 25, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pawtucket, RI

$1.2K 43.1%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 154% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

Pawtucket, RI

$468 16.6%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 20.4% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pawtucket, RI

$441 15.7%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 17.5% $77

Eating Out

Pawtucket, RI

$400 14.2%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 10.1% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Pawtucket, RI

$151 5.4%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 16.4% $25

Getting Around

Pawtucket, RI

$88 3.1%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 85.9% $76

Sport & Entertainment

Pawtucket, RI

$53 1.9%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 192% $103

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,542 in Pawtucket, RI versus $4,499 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 20% 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 $98 in Pawtucket, RI versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $468 vs $563 – making Pawtucket, RI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pawtucket, RI

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

14:21 2:21 PM

Same time as Pawtucket, RI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

72,998

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Pawtucket, RI New York, NY 270 km

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Pawtucket, RI
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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

Pawtucket, RI vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 76% more than Pawtucket, RI, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,221 per month in Pawtucket, RI and $7,412 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 Pawtucket, RI, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,542 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $1,821 per month in Pawtucket, RI and $3,558 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 20% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,814 in Pawtucket, RI and $4,941 in New York, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Pawtucket, RI – 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 Pawtucket, RI. 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.