Cost of living in Long Island, NY

Rent, everyday prices and the gross salary you may need to cover living costs in Long Island, NY.

Numbeo data as of 1 June 2026
About this data
Living costs
Numbeo household estimates and average prices from a snapshot taken on 1 June 2026. Prices are reported by users, so coverage and recency vary by city.
Salary
Grossed up through Expatica's tax rules for the United States (2026), one employment income per adult, no savings.
Currency
Shown in USD, converted from the US dollar figures at Wise mid-market rates of 21 October 2026.

Source: Numbeo. All sources and method

One person, a month

$1,333

Living costs excluding rent

Family of four, a month

$4,804

Living costs excluding rent

One-bedroom rent, centre

$2,325

A month

Gross salary, one person

$54,000

to cover living costs in Long Island, NY

Long Island, NY's cost of living at a glance

Long Island, NY is one of the most expensive cities in both the United States and North America. The estimated monthly costs for a single person in Long Island, NY are $1,333, excluding rent. Living costs for a family of four are $4,804 a month, excluding rent.

A single person in Long Island, NY may need a gross salary of at least $54,000 a year to cover estimated living costs, renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre and saving nothing.

See how Long Island, NY compares

One person's monthly costs

Numbeo household estimate in USD, with the rent of a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre

  • Rent$2,325
  • Groceries$404
  • Eating out$250
  • Transport$130
  • Utilities$217
  • Leisure$136
  • Other estimated costs$197

Source: Numbeo, 1 June 2026.

How Long Island, NY compares

One person's monthly costs in Long Island, NY, excluding rent, are 8.4% higher than in the typical city in the United States and 47.9% higher than in the typical city worldwide.

Where Long Island, NY ranks

In the United States

61st of 290

One person's monthly costs including rent, most expensive first.

In North America

63rd of 418

Cities in North America with a Numbeo estimate, most expensive first.

Worldwide

96th percentile

Costs the same as or more than 96% of 1,942 cities: one of the most expensive cities.

One-bedroom rent, centre

60th of 290

Cities in the United States, most expensive first.

Monthly costs against the typical city

  • Long Island, NY
  • Typical national city
  • Typical city worldwide

Tap a line or a table row to read its three amounts.

Monthly costLong Island, NYTypical national cityTypical city worldwide
Rent$2,325$1,699 +36.8%$742 +213.1%
Groceries$404$396 +2.2%$281 +43.9%
Eating out$250$217 +15.0%$158 +57.8%
Transport$130$60 +115.8%$40 +223.7%
Utilities$217$284 −23.5%$175 +24.5%
Leisure$136$67.84 +99.7%$61.97 +118.7%
Total excluding rent$1,333$1,229 +8.4%$902 +47.9%
Total including rent$3,658$2,930 +24.9%$1,673 +118.6%

Typical = the median of 290 cities in the United States and 1,942 cities worldwide.

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Explore prices in Long Island, NY

The average price for each item, and the range from the lowest to the highest price people have reported.

Renting in Long Island, NY

Long Island, NY is the 60th most expensive city in the United States for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre. The closest-priced city in the United States is Delray Beach, FL.

A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs $2,325 a month.

Outside the centre, a one-bedroom apartment typically costs $2,260 a month.

A one-bedroom apartment in the centre is around 3% more expensive to rent than one outside the centre.

ItemAverage pricePrice range
1-bed apartment in the city centre
Monthly rent
$2,325$1,100–$3,700
1-bed apartment outside the centre
Monthly rent
$2,260$1,900–$2,600
3-bed apartment in the city centre
Monthly rent
$4,625$3,800–$6,200
3-bed apartment outside the centre
Monthly rent
$3,700$3,400–$4,200
Price per m² in the city centre$4,306Not available
Price per m² outside the centre$4,306Not available

Cost of everyday items in Long Island, NY

Groceries in Long Island, NY cost about the same as the average for the United States, while eating out is around 13% more expensive than the country average.

A litre of milk typically costs $1.20.

A 500g loaf of fresh white bread typically costs $4.65.

A pack of 20 cigarettes typically costs $11.69.

ItemAverage pricePrice range
Milk, 1 litre$1.20$0.85–$1.85
Fresh white bread, 500g$4.65$2.19–$5.51
Eggs, 12 large$5.17$1.68–$7
Local cheese, 1kg$12.46$6.61–$26.46
Chicken fillets, 1kg$12.39$8.82–$26.46
Beef round, 1kg$16.16$8.82–$19.84
Apples, 1kg$5.22$3.95–$8.82
Oranges, 1kg$4.35$2.09–$6.61
Potatoes, 1kg$2.76$1.10–$4.41
Lettuce, 1 head$2.25$1.50–$4.99
White rice, 1kg$3.19$1.96–$11.02
Tomatoes, 1kg$5.22$2.18–$8.82
Bananas, 1kg$1.53$1.08–$4.41
Onions, 1kg$3.33$2.18–$6.61
Water, 1.5 litre bottle$1.59$1.59–$3.99
Mid-range bottle of wine$15$8–$25
Domestic beer, 0.5 litre bottle$1.73$1.67–$3.57
Imported beer, 0.33 litre bottle$4.25$1.88–$8
Cigarettes, 20 pack$11.69$11.41–$16

Eating out in Long Island, NY

A 0.5-litre draught beer typically costs $8, making Long Island, NY one of the most expensive places in the United States to buy a beer.

ItemAverage pricePrice range
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant$20$10–$45
Three-course meal for two$100$70–$125
Fast food combo meal$11$10–$15
Domestic beer, 0.5 litre draught$8$5–$14
Imported beer, 0.33 litre bottle$8$7–$20
Soft drink, 0.33 litre bottle$2.17$2–$4.50
Water, 0.33 litre bottle$1.58$1–$3.63
Cappuccino$4.90$3–$8

Transport in Long Island, NY

ItemAverage pricePrice range
One-way public transport ticket$2.90$2.75–$8
Monthly public transport pass$130$127–$132
Gasoline, 1 litre$0.89$0.78–$1.17
Taxi start$3$3–$7
Taxi, per km$2.05$2.05–$2.05
Taxi waiting, 1 hour$24$24–$24
Volkswagen Golf, new$24,000$24,000–$36,787
Toyota Corolla sedan, new$24,500$23,000–$26,013

Utilities in Long Island, NY

ItemAverage pricePrice range
Basic utilities for an 85m² apartment
Monthly
$146$99–$350
Broadband internet
Monthly
$52.50$40–$150
Mobile phone plan
Monthly
$47.75$38–$87

How is Long Island, NY for families?

A family of four with two adults and two children may need a gross household income of $130,000 a year in Long Island, NY, excluding childcare costs.

Private preschool or kindergarten typically costs $2,250 a month.

A three-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs $4,625 a month.

Long Island, NY scores 74/100 on Numbeo's safety index.

ItemAverage pricePrice range
Family of four, excluding rent
Monthly, Numbeo household estimate
$4,804Not applicable
Family of four, including rent
Monthly, Numbeo household estimate
$9,429Not applicable
Private preschool or kindergarten
Monthly
$2,250$2,000–$2,500
International primary school
Annual
$23,667$15,000–$30,000

Leisure and clothing in Long Island, NY

ItemAverage pricePrice range
Gym membership
Monthly
$31.75$15–$49.99
Tennis court rental, 1 hour$104$90–$104
Cinema ticket$13$12–$22
Jeans$40$30–$100
Summer dress from a chain store$63.33$20–$75
Nike running shoes$76.33$50–$100
Men's leather business shoes$134$60–$200

Source: Numbeo, 1 June 2026.

What salary do I need to live in Long Island, NY?

By combining Numbeo's living-cost estimates with the tax rates in the United States, we can estimate the gross salary you would need to live in Long Island, NY. Use the calculator below to see how much you would need to live in Long Island, NY, and where your money goes.

Your household

Housing location
Housing location

Select the number of children before choosing child care or school.

$

Money left over after tax and living costs. Leave blank for none.

Savings target period
Savings target period
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Show annual or monthly amounts

Recommended gross salary

$53,773

Needed to support 1 adult and no children in Long Island, NY, living in a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre.

Take-home pay
$43,117
Living costs
$43,117
Tax and contributions
$10,656

Where your salary goes

$53,773gross a year
  • Living costs$43,11780.2%
  • Income tax and contributions$10,65619.8%
How the recommended income was worked out
OperatorItemA year
Gross salary$53,773
−Income tax and contributions$10,656
=Take-home pay$43,117
−Rent$27,120
−Groceries$4,852
−Eating out$2,995
−Transport$1,554
−Utilities$2,609
−Leisure$1,626
−Other estimated costs$2,361
=Left over: savings target$0

$53,773 gross salary modelled as one employment income gives a 19.8% effective tax rate and $10,656 estimated deductions a year. Use our salary tax calculator for a more detailed estimate.

What the estimate includes

  • Rent for your housing choice and Numbeo's household living costs for your household size
  • National income tax for 2026
  • Employee social contributions, simplified

What it doesn't include

  • Regional, state or local income tax
  • Joint filing, partner income and household allowances
  • Age, pension, expat-regime or special-residency rules
  • Bonuses, benefits and other income
  • Child care or school unless you choose it

Don't agree with our estimates? Help us improve our cost-of-living model.

How each cost is worked out

Rent. The selected one-bedroom apartment outside the centre in Long Island, NY costs an estimated $2,260 per month. $2,260 per month × 12 months = $27,120 a year.

Groceries. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Long Island, NY spends an estimated $404 on groceries per month. $404 per month × 12 months = $4,852 a year.

Eating out. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Long Island, NY spends an estimated $250 on eating out per month. $250 per month × 12 months = $2,995 a year.

Transport. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Long Island, NY spends an estimated $130 on transport per month. $130 per month × 12 months = $1,554 a year.

Utilities. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Long Island, NY spends an estimated $217 on utilities per month. $217 per month × 12 months = $2,609 a year.

Leisure. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Long Island, NY spends an estimated $136 on leisure per month. $136 per month × 12 months = $1,626 a year.

Other estimated costs. Numbeo's household estimate for miscellaneous costs: this may include things like clothing, shoes and entertainment costs. $197 per month × 12 months = $2,361 a year.

See the prices behind each category · How living costs and salaries are calculated

Tax estimate assumptions

Tax year 2026. One resident employee and one employment income are assumed. Federal tax for Single Filer, effective Jan 1, 2026. TCJA rates made permanent by OBBBA (Jul 2025). Bottom 2 brackets +4%, higher brackets +2.3% inflation adjustment.

Try Expatica's tax calculator for the United States

Important

This calculator gives an estimate of the income needed to cover living costs. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. It uses Numbeo prices as of 1 June 2026, the United States's tax rules for 2026 and Wise exchange rates of 21 October 2026, and models one employment income. Check your figures with the salary tax calculator or the official rules in PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries / IRS.

Figures for 1 adult, outside the centre, no savings target.

Cost of living in Long Island, NY: common questions

Is Long Island, NY expensive to live in?

Long Island, NY is one of the most expensive cities in both the United States and North America.

A single person spends about $1,333 a month excluding rent, against $1,229 in the typical city in the United States (the median of 290 cities, Numbeo, as of 1 June 2026).

Worldwide, Long Island, NY costs the same as or more than 96% of the 1,942 cities with a Numbeo household estimate, which makes it one of the most expensive cities.

What salary do you need to live in Long Island, NY?

A single person may need a gross salary of at least $54,000 a year to cover estimated living costs in Long Island, NY, renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre and saving nothing.

This is an estimate from Numbeo prices as of 1 June 2026 and the United States's tax rules for 2026. Use the salary calculator to add your household, housing and a savings target.

How much is rent in Long Island, NY?

A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs $2,325 a month, and $2,260 outside the centre, according to Numbeo averages as of 1 June 2026.

A three-bedroom apartment costs about $4,625 a month in the centre and $3,700 outside it.

Long Island, NY is the 60th most expensive city in the United States for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre.

How much does a family spend in Long Island, NY?

A family of four spends about $4,804 a month on living costs excluding rent, or $9,429 including rent, according to Numbeo's household estimate as of 1 June 2026.

With two adults earning and a three-bedroom home outside the centre, the household may need a gross income of $130,000 a year, excluding childcare costs.

Private preschool or kindergarten typically costs $2,250 a month per child.

How does Long Island, NY compare with the United States's other cities?

Long Island, NY ranks 61st of 290 cities in the United States for one person's monthly costs including rent, where 1st is the most expensive.

Excluding rent, one person's costs are 8.4% more than in the typical city in the United States.

Where this data comes from

Living costs and prices
Numbeo, snapshot of 1 June 2026
Exchange rates
Wise mid-market rates, 21 October 2026
Tax rules
Expatica salary tax calculator, United States 2026
Locations and population
GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 1 October 2026
Regions for continent ranks
UN M49 regions

Important

All amounts are indicative estimates, not quotes or financial advice. Numbeo's prices are reported by users, so coverage and recency vary by city: check rents and prices locally before you commit to a move.

Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click and make a purchase.

How living costs and salaries are calculated
  • Your household size (adults and children, one to six people) picks Numbeo's household estimate for groceries, eating out, transport, utilities, leisure and rent.
  • Rent is replaced by the price of a one-bedroom apartment (one or two people) or a three-bedroom apartment (three or more), in or outside the centre. A flatshare, for one adult without children, is a third of a three-bedroom home.
  • "Other estimated costs" is Numbeo's household total less the named categories, not a separately reported price. Where a total is below its own categories, we use the categories, and a larger household's costs other than rent are never lower than a smaller household's.
  • Child care and school are optional: preschool uses the city's monthly price for each child, international primary school its annual fee spread over 12 months. Children's ages, eligibility and public provision are not modelled.
  • The salary is the gross income that leaves these costs, plus your savings target, after tax under Expatica's rules for the United States (2026). One adult has one employment income; two adults are two earners splitting it evenly, with no joint filing or household allowances. What the tax model covers is listed with the result.
  • Numbeo's figures are in US dollars, converted with one set of Wise mid-market rates. Without them, amounts stay in US dollars and no salary is estimated.
How cities are compared and matched
  • A typical city is the median of one person's monthly costs across the 290 cities in the United States in this guide and across the 1,942 cities worldwide with a Numbeo household estimate. Each row is its own median, so the rows do not add up.
  • Ranks put the most expensive city first, and equal estimates share a rank. The worldwide percentile is the share of those 1,942 cities whose one-person monthly total, rent included, is the same or lower than Long Island, NY's.
  • Nearby cities are places in this guide, possibly across a border, by straight-line distance between GeoNames location points.
  • Comparable cities are in the same GeoNames population band (under 100,000, 100,000–499,999, 500,000–999,999, or 1 million and above; a neighbouring band, labelled, when a band has too few countries), one per country, outside the United States and not already listed as nearby. Population years and boundaries vary, so the bands are rough size guides.
  • The match score compares a single person's costs excluding rent and the rent of a central one-bedroom apartment. For each, we divide the lower city's price by the higher; the score is the square root of the two ratios multiplied together, × 100. If both prices are 80% of the other city's, the match is 80%; if both are twice as high, 50%. It measures how close the costs are, not which city is cheaper or how alike they are to live in.