Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Spokane, WA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Spokane, WA: $2,601 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $28,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Spokane, WA
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Spokane, WA Living Index
239

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

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Spokane, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,601

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,601 per month in Spokane, WA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Spokane, WA $2,601
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $3,839 per month in Spokane, WA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Spokane, WA $3,839
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,076 per month in Spokane, WA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Spokane, WA $5,076
New York, NY $9,509

Spokane, WA is about 47% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Spokane, WA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Spokane, WA by 91%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$28.55 $28.55

-31.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$118 $118

-36.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 $12.84

$15.04 $15.04

-14.63%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$6.53 $6.53

-23.28%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$3.96 $3.96

-38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.01 $3.01

-27.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$8.16 $8.16

-16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 $6.18

$9.84 $9.84

-37.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.37 $1.37

-32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$4.97 $4.97

-34.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$7.81 $7.81

-40.08%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$5.97 $5.97

-3.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.79 $15.79

$18.91 $18.91

-16.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.56 $13.56

$18.04 $18.04

-24.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$19.05 $19.05

-12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$6.76 $6.76

-6.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.27 $2.27

-25.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$6.83 $6.83

-20.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$7.09 $7.09

-20.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$4.22 $4.22

-25.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$4.65 $4.65

-33.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.87 $2.87

-28.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.60 $2.60

-29.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.07 $12.07

$18.77 $18.77

-35.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 $14.24

$20.13 $20.13

-29.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$3.45 $3.45

-46.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$4.02 $4.02

19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.91 $2.91

-32.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.7 $60.7

$139 $139

-56.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.08 $3.08

65.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.12 $2.12

-19.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.78 $39.78

$41.96 $41.96

-5.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.17 $1.17

16.24%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$34.5K $34.5K

-19.39%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$25.9K $25.9K

4.64%

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

$174 $174

$219 $219

-20.56%

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

$75.8 $75.8

$74.2 $74.2

2.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$70.2 $70.2

5.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.38 $44.38

$112 $112

-60.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 $14.84

$74.9 $74.9

-80.18%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 $16.13

$22.14 $22.14

-27.15%

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

$1,403 $1,403

$3,558 $3,558

-60.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K $21.4K

$62.2K $62.2K

-65.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 $52.4

$75.6 $75.6

-30.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.55 $49.55

$51.2 $51.2

-3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$123 $123

-5.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$140 $140

3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 $1,625

$4,499 $4,499

-63.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 $1,200

$3,078 $3,078

-61.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,093 $3,093

$9,447 $9,447

-67.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 $1,950

$5,190 $5,190

-62.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,290 $3,290

$18.1K $18.1K

-81.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,276 $2,276

$6,693 $6,693

-66.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,440 $4,440

$5,220 $5,220

-14.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

6.86

-1.46%

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

Last update for Spokane, WA: 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

Spokane, WA

$1.2K 46.1%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 157% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

Spokane, WA

$434 16.7%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 29.7% $129

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Spokane, WA

$324 12.5%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 12.3% $40

Eating Out

Spokane, WA

$321 12.4%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 37% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Spokane, WA

$163 6.3%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 7.6% $12

Getting Around

Spokane, WA

$82 3.2%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 99.9% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Spokane, WA

$77 3%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 104% $80

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,625 in Spokane, WA 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 18% 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 $75 in Spokane, WA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $563 – making Spokane, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Spokane, WA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

12:04 12:04 PM

15:04 3:04 PM

3 h ahead of Spokane, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

228,989

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Spokane, WA New York, NY 3,490 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Spokane, WA
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

Spokane, WA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 90% more than Spokane, WA, 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 $3,901 per month in Spokane, WA 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 Spokane, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,625 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $1,403 per month in Spokane, WA 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 30% 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 Spokane, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,601, than in New York, NY at $4,941. In Spokane, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Spokane, WA – 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 Spokane, WA. 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.