Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Rafael, CA and New York, NY

For one person, living costs are similar in San Rafael, CA and in New York, NY: $4,929 and $4,950 a month, rent and utilities included.

238

Cost of Living Index in San Rafael, CA
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San Rafael, CA Living Index
239

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

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San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,929

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,929 per month in San Rafael, CA vs $4,950 in New York, NY, rent included.

San Rafael, CA $4,929
New York, NY $4,950

A couple spends around $6,391 per month in San Rafael, CA vs $7,265 in New York, NY, rent included.

San Rafael, CA $6,391
New York, NY $7,265

A family of three spends $7,853 per month in San Rafael, CA vs $9,581 in New York, NY, rent included.

San Rafael, CA $7,853
New York, NY $9,581

San Rafael, CA and New York, NY have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both San Rafael, CA and New York, NY sit above the global median – San Rafael, CA by 265%, New York, NY by 267%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.68 $24.68

$24.65 $24.65

0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$122 $122

-1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$13.91 $13.91

-13.37%

Cappuccino

$4.74 $4.74

$6.59 $6.59

-28.07%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$3.84 $3.84

-21.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.87 $2.87

2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 $5.38

$7.79 $7.79

-30.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$9.85 $9.85

-29.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.38 $1.38

2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.68 $4.68

-3.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$7.54 $7.54

28.51%

Eggs

$5.42 $5.42

$5.93 $5.93

-8.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.21 $23.21

$18.83 $18.83

23.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$17.36 $17.36

-11.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.15 $18.15

$18.51 $18.51

-1.94%

Apples (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$6.74 $6.74

13.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.09 $2.09

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$6.07 $6.07

3.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$6.74 $6.74

27.30%

Potato (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.05 $4.05

45.43%

Onion (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$4.37 $4.37

24.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.89 $2.89

6.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.60 $2.60

49.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.85 $10.85

$18.72 $18.72

-42.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 $12.96

$20.06 $20.06

-35.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.25 $3.25

-31.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.73 $3.73

-19.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.06 $3.06

-33.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.7 $65.7

$140 $140

-53.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.04 $3.04

34.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.15 $2.15

106.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.84 $28.84

$41.82 $41.82

-31.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.12 $1.12

28.57%

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

$32.0K $32.0K

$35.5K $35.5K

-9.61%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.0K $26.0K

1.52%

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

$253 $253

$219 $219

15.73%

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

$85.4 $85.4

$73.2 $73.2

16.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$72.0 $72.0

-14.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$124 $124

$123 $123

0.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.21 $30.21

$67.7 $67.7

-55.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 $13.14

$22.85 $22.85

-42.49%

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

$2,088 $2,088

$3,333 $3,333

-37.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$60.0K $60.0K

-58.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$75.2 $75.2

-20.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.92 $42.92

$52.4 $52.4

-18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 $96.8

$122 $122

-20.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$133 $133

-5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,074 $3,074

$4,389 $4,389

-29.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,202 $3,202

$3,130 $3,130

2.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,278 $4,278

$8,918 $8,918

-52.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,860 $3,860

$5,354 $5,354

-27.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,456 $7,456

$19.4K $19.4K

-61.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,281 $5,281

$6,806 $6,806

-22.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,077 $7,077

$5,343 $5,343

32.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.82

-2.93%

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

Last update for San Rafael, CA: 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

San Rafael, CA

$3.2K 65%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2% 2.2% $72

Groceries & Markets

San Rafael, CA

$575 11.7%

New York, NY

$545 11% 5.3% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Rafael, CA

$400 8.1%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 9% $36

Eating Out

San Rafael, CA

$355 7.2%

New York, NY

$404 8.2% 13.6% $48

Sport & Entertainment

San Rafael, CA

$150 3%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 12.2% $18

Clothing & Footwear

San Rafael, CA

$147 3%

New York, NY

$172 3.5% 17.4% $25

Getting Around

San Rafael, CA

$100 2%

New York, NY

$167 3.4% 66.2% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,074 in San Rafael, CA 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 32% higher in San Rafael, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in San Rafael, CA versus $122 in New York, NY. Groceries tell a different story – $575 in San Rafael, CA vs $545 in New York, NY – so New York, NY wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Rafael, CA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

12:54 12:54 PM

15:54 3:54 PM

3 h ahead of San Rafael, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,704

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

San Rafael, CA New York, NY 4,120 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

San Rafael, CA
New York, NY

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

San Rafael, CA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,394 per month in San Rafael, CA 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 San Rafael, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in New York, NY – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $2,088 per month in San Rafael, CA 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.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,929 in San Rafael, CA and $4,950 in New York, NY. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Rafael, CA costs $4,929 versus $4,950 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Rafael, CA. 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.