New York Housing & Living Wage Index

New York Cost of Living & Rents (2026)

Compare HUD Fair Market Rents, living wages, and composite living cost indices across all 14 benchmark metropolitan areas in New York.

Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget · Methodology

Composite COL Index 124.8 US Benchmark = 100.0
Average 1BR Rent $1,400 HUD Fair Market Rent
Single Living Wage $27.60/hr EPI Living Wage Standard
Family Living Wage $26.88/hr 2 Adults + 1 Child

Metropolitan Areas in New York

Metro AreaCOL IndexHUD 1BR RentHUD 2BR RentLiving WageReport
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 181.0 $2,729/mo $2,971/mo $40.03/hr View
Nassau-Suffolk, NY 165.6 $2,285/mo $2,689/mo $36.63/hr View
Ithaca, NY 137.7 $1,427/mo $1,709/mo $30.46/hr View
Kingston, NY 135.5 $1,436/mo $1,878/mo $29.96/hr View
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY 133.9 $1,659/mo $2,131/mo $29.61/hr View
Glens Falls, NY 117.3 $1,073/mo $1,347/mo $25.95/hr View
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 116.8 $1,425/mo $1,711/mo $25.82/hr View
Rochester, NY 113.5 $1,131/mo $1,416/mo $25.11/hr View
Syracuse, NY 110.0 $1,196/mo $1,493/mo $24.32/hr View
Elmira, NY 109.4 $1,030/mo $1,348/mo $24.20/hr View
Utica-Rome, NY 108.8 $946/mo $1,210/mo $24.07/hr View
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 107.1 $1,111/mo $1,453/mo $23.68/hr View
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 105.7 $1,203/mo $1,423/mo $23.36/hr View
Binghamton, NY 104.7 $954/mo $1,219/mo $23.15/hr View
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New York Cost of Living & Rents (2026) Overview

Comprehensive 2026 cost of living analysis for New York. Compare HUD Fair Market Rents, living wages, state income tax impact, and metropolitan living costs. Official 2026 economic data for New York compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
Is New York an expensive state to live in?

Its metros average a cost-of-living index of 124.8 (U.S. = 100), from EPI family budgets. Average one-bedroom HUD Fair Market Rent across its metros is about $1,400 a month.

What is the living wage in New York?

The average living wage for a single adult in New York is approximately $27.60/hour, while a family with two adults and one child requires roughly $26.88/hour to cover basic necessities.