Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between University Place, WA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in University Place, WA: $2,876 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $24,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

University Place, WA, United States
New York, NY, United States
University Place, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,876
/mo nomad
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,906
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,876 per month in University Place, WA vs $4,906 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • University Place, WA $2,876
  • New York, NY $4,906

A couple spends around $4,279 per month in University Place, WA vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • University Place, WA $4,279
  • New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $5,682 per month in University Place, WA vs $9,641 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • University Place, WA $5,682
  • New York, NY $9,641

University Place, WA is about 41% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both University Place, WA and New York, NY sit above the global median – University Place, WA by 113%, New York, NY by 263%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
University Place, WA
New York, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.38 $23.38
$26.93 $26.93
-13.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$117 $117
-13.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.15 $12.15
$14.60 $14.60
-16.78%
Cappuccino
$6.08 $6.08
$6.54 $6.54
-7.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 $3.12
$3.86 $3.86
-19.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$2.95 $2.95
6.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.93 $7.93
$8.08 $8.08
-1.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.86 $7.86
$9.85 $9.85
-20.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
University Place, WA
New York, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 $1.10
$1.31 $1.31
-16.03%
White Bread (500g)
$4.05 $4.05
$4.97 $4.97
-18.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.95 $5.95
$7.70 $7.70
-22.73%
Eggs
$4.97 $4.97
$6.09 $6.09
-18.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.11 $16.11
$19.55 $19.55
-17.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.19 $18.19
$17.59 $17.59
3.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.33 $23.33
$20.26 $20.26
15.15%
Apples (1kg)
$5.91 $5.91
$6.99 $6.99
-15.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.21 $2.21
-19.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.55 $5.55
$6.72 $6.72
-17.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.48 $4.48
$7.12 $7.12
-37.08%
Potato (1kg)
$3.48 $3.48
$4.61 $4.61
-24.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.82 $2.82
$4.78 $4.78
-41.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.96 $1.96
$2.87 $2.87
-31.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.06 $3.06
$2.69 $2.69
13.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.43 $12.43
$19.14 $19.14
-35.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.17 $18.17
$19.63 $19.63
-7.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 $1.75
$3.32 $3.32
-47.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.95 $4.95
$4.19 $4.19
18.14%
🚌 Getting Around
University Place, WA
New York, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.13 $2.13
$3.02 $3.02
-29.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.8 $65.8
$139 $139
-52.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.66 $2.66
$3.04 $3.04
-12.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.20 $2.20
-22.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.49 $30.49
$41.33 $41.33
-26.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.13 $1.13
28.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$34.5K $34.5K
-19.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K $26.5K
$25.8K $25.8K
2.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
University Place, WA
New York, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$233 $233
$232 $232
0.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.7 $68.7
$71.0 $71.0
-3.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$88.6 $88.6
$67.7 $67.7
30.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
University Place, WA
New York, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.56 $39.56
$115 $115
-65.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$76.8 $76.8
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.88 $17.88
$22.41 $22.41
-20.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
University Place, WA
New York, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,087 $2,087
$3,606 $3,606
-42.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.9K $27.9K
$68.7K $68.7K
-59.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
University Place, WA
New York, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.3 $60.3
$79.3 $79.3
-23.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.90 $44.90
$51.4 $51.4
-12.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$130 $130
$121 $121
7.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 $127
$140 $140
-9.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
University Place, WA
New York, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,573 $1,573
$4,555 $4,555
-65.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,280 $1,280
$3,040 $3,040
-57.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,599 $2,599
$9,742 $9,742
-73.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,111 $2,111
$5,331 $5,331
-60.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,918 $2,918
$18.2K $18.2K
-83.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,644 $2,644
$6,685 $6,685
-60.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
University Place, WA
New York, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,149 $8,149
$5,096 $5,096
59.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.64
6.89
-3.63%

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

Last update for University Place, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
University Place, WA
$1.3K
New York, NY
$3K 138% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
University Place, WA
$505
New York, NY
$567 12.4% $62
Monthly Utilities & Internet
University Place, WA
$390
New York, NY
$371 4.9% $19
Eating Out
University Place, WA
$377
New York, NY
$425 12.8% $48
Clothing & Footwear
University Place, WA
$163
New York, NY
$176 8.2% $13
Getting Around
University Place, WA
$85
New York, NY
$165 93.7% $80
Sport & Entertainment
University Place, WA
$75
New York, NY
$160 113% $85

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in University Place, WA versus $4,555 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 60% higher in University Place, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in University Place, WA versus $117 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $505 vs $567 – making University Place, WA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 University Place, WA
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🕒 Local time
08:36 8:36 AM
11:36 11:36 AM
3 h ahead of University Place, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
34,866
8,804,190
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • University Place, WA New York, NY 3,880 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • University Place, 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
University Place, WA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, University Place, WA or New York, NY?
New York, NY costs about 71% more than University Place, WA, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in University Place, WA and in New York, NY?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,314 per month in University Place, WA and $7,358 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, University Place, WA or New York, NY?
Rent is clearly cheaper in University Place, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,573 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.
How do childcare costs compare in University Place, WA and in New York, NY?
Kindergarten costs $2,087 per month in University Place, WA and $3,606 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in University Place, WA or in New York, NY?
Groceries cost about 12% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward University Place, WA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, University Place, WA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 41% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

University Place, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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