| Indices Difference |  |
| Cost of Living in Washington, DC is 12.1% lower than in New York, NY (excluding rent) |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Washington, DC is 22.1% lower than in New York, NY |
| Rent Prices in Washington, DC are 34.1% lower than in New York, NY |
| Restaurant Prices in Washington, DC are 5.6% lower than in New York, NY |
| Groceries Prices in Washington, DC are 10.6% lower than in New York, NY |
| Local Purchasing Power in Washington, DC is 54.1% higher than in New York, NY |
(assuming you rent in both cities). This calculation uses our Cost of Living Plus Rent Index to compare the cost of living and assume net earnings (after income tax). You can
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Restaurants | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit | Difference |
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 25.00 $ | 25.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 140.00 $ | 120.00 $ | -14.3 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 14.00 $ | 12.00 $ | -14.3 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (0.5 Liter) | 8.00 $ | 8.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (0.33 Liter Bottle) | 10.00 $ | 10.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.64 $ | 6.16 $ | +9.3 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 0.33 Liter Bottle) | 3.03 $ | 3.41 $ | +12.6 % |
| Bottled Water (0.33 Liter) | 2.50 $ | 2.78 $ | +11.1 % |
Markets | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.36 $ | 1.16 $ | -14.7 % |
| Fresh White Bread (500 g Loaf) | 4.79 $ | 4.32 $ | -9.9 % |
| White Rice (1 kg) | 8.37 $ | 6.25 $ | -25.3 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 7.20 $ | 4.85 $ | -32.7 % |
| Local Cheese (1 kg) | 16.99 $ | 15.74 $ | -7.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 kg) | 15.27 $ | 16.35 $ | +7.1 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 kg) | 19.85 $ | 19.34 $ | -2.6 % |
| Apples (1 kg) | 6.88 $ | 6.46 $ | -6.0 % |
| Bananas (1 kg) | 2.44 $ | 2.03 $ | -16.7 % |
| Oranges (1 kg) | 5.76 $ | 4.91 $ | -14.7 % |
| Tomatoes (1 kg) | 5.95 $ | 5.87 $ | -1.3 % |
| Potatoes (1 kg) | 3.34 $ | 2.94 $ | -12.0 % |
| Onions (1 kg) | 3.66 $ | 3.62 $ | -0.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 3.00 $ | 2.46 $ | -17.8 % |
| Bottled Water (1.5 Liter) | 2.56 $ | 2.43 $ | -5.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 18.00 $ | 18.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter Bottle) | 3.48 $ | 3.08 $ | -11.6 % |
| Imported Beer (0.33 Liter Bottle) | 4.34 $ | 4.41 $ | +1.6 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 19.00 $ | 13.94 $ | -26.6 % |
Transportation | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.92 $ | 2.65 $ | -9.4 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 134.00 $ | 107.50 $ | -19.8 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.00 $ | 4.00 $ | +33.3 % |
| Taxi 1 km (Standard Tariff) | 2.17 $ | 1.59 $ | -26.9 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 42.00 $ | 25.10 $ | -40.2 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 0.88 $ | 0.87 $ | -1.7 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 35,458.00 $ | 36,375.00 $ | +2.6 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 25,752.12 $ | 26,252.71 $ | +1.9 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit |
| Basic Utilities for 85 m2 Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 188.53 $ | 195.70 $ | +3.8 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 62.88 $ | 67.95 $ | +8.0 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 64.43 $ | 72.39 $ | +12.4 % |
Sports And Leisure | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 125.62 $ | 106.47 $ | -15.2 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 64.67 $ | 74.17 $ | +14.7 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 22.00 $ | 17.00 $ | -22.7 % |
Childcare | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 3,427.83 $ | 3,074.77 $ | -10.3 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 59,079.88 $ | 40,477.67 $ | -31.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 67.27 $ | 73.23 $ | +8.9 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 54.54 $ | 47.16 $ | -13.5 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 116.74 $ | 102.60 $ | -12.1 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 159.29 $ | 145.64 $ | -8.6 % |
Rent Per Month | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 4,512.96 $ | 2,621.67 $ | -41.9 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,657.00 $ | 2,074.25 $ | -21.9 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 9,173.68 $ | 5,134.67 $ | -44.0 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 4,844.44 $ | 4,134.62 $ | -14.7 % |
Buy Apartment Price | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit |
| Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 20,986.42 $ | 8,471.58 $ | -59.6 % |
| Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 8,733.48 $ | 3,665.04 $ | -58.0 % |
Salaries And Financing | New York, NY Edit | Washington, DC Edit |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,150.98 $ | 6,179.64 $ | +20.0 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.55 | 6.39 | -2.5 % |
| Last update: | 22 January 2026 | 21 January 2026 |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 288 | 74 |
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