Head to head
New York, NY vs Oakland, CA
Oakland is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $207/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $10,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, New York is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | New York44 | Oakland40 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $5,531 | $5,324 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $11,966 | $14,608 |
| Salary for comfort | $115,500/yr | $105,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $2,910 | $2,912 |
| Median home value | $751,700 | $924,700 |
| Median household income | $79,713 | $97,369 |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 4.6% |
| Housing score | 3 | 6 |
| Jobs score | 43 | 36 |
| Safety score | 47 | 0 |
| Climate score | 99 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 40 | 71 |
| Population | 8.5M | 438.1K |
| Summer high / winter low | 84° / 27° | 72° / 46° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
New York, NY
Oakland, CA