Where To Live on $2,500 a Month — in New York

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For most New Yorkers, a life in NYC is a complete no-go due to the metro’s sky-high cost of living. In the past 10 years, housing costs in the Big Apple have spiked by nearly 70%. But there are dozens of other cities in New York, and many of them are far more reasonable in terms of costs of living than NYC. Or so it is for single renters. 

In a new study, GOBankingRates determined the cities in New York where one can live on $2,500 a month, factoring in the average monthly costs of rent, groceries, healthcare and utilities. Below are the 12 cities in the Empire State where it’s easiest to get by $2,500 — though you’ll still be stretched pretty thin in some.   

12. Binghamton

• Average monthly rent: $1,304
• Average monthly groceries cost: $341.71 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $419.94
• Average monthly utilities cost: $288.76
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,354.04

11. Hilton

• Average monthly rent: $1,284 
• Average monthly groceries cost: $350.10 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $393.88
• Average monthly utilities cost: $313.07
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,340.59

10. Brockport 

• Average monthly rent: $1,271 
• Average monthly groceries cost: $347.30 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $393.88
• Average monthly utilities cost: $313.07
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,325.10

9. Watertown 

• Average monthly rent: $1,239 
• Average monthly groceries cost: $344.85 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $406.73
• Average monthly utilities cost: $327.78 
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,318.59

8. Rome 

• Average monthly rent: $1,201 
• Average monthly groceries cost: $342.06 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $408.56
• Average monthly utilities cost: $331.68
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,283.80

7. Tonawanda 

• Average monthly rent: $1,237
• Average monthly groceries cost: $346.95 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $386.17
• Average monthly utilities cost: $306.77
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,277.04

6. Auburn 

• Average monthly rent: $1,186
• Average monthly groceries cost: $343.45 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $429.85
• Average monthly utilities cost: $302.87
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,261.87

5. Niagara Falls 

• Average monthly rent: $1,185
• Average monthly groceries cost: $335.76 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $384.34
• Average monthly utilities cost: $327.78
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,233.30

4. Elmira 

• Average monthly rent: $1,155 
• Average monthly groceries cost: $332.96 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $429.49
• Average monthly utilities cost: $303.77
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,220.81

3. Johnson City

• Average monthly rent: $1,154 
• Average monthly groceries cost: $337.16 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $419.94
• Average monthly utilities cost: $295.36
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,205.97

2. North Tonawanda

• Average monthly rent: $1,124 
• Average monthly groceries cost: $351.15 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $384.34
• Average monthly utilities cost: $328.08
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,187.60

1. Lockport

• Average monthly rent: $980 
• Average monthly groceries cost: $348.70 
• Average monthly healthcare cost: $384.34
• Average monthly utilities cost: $301.07
• Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,014.08

Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the cities in New York where one can live on $2,500 a month. GOBankingRates first isolated all cities in New York with a 2025 average monthly rent under $1,800. GOBankingRates then used Sperling’s Best to find the cost of living index for each listed city, looking at grocery, utilities and healthcare index scores. Next, GOBankingRates used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the annual expenditure amount for both grocery (“food at home”), utilities (utilities and public services) and healthcare costs to find how much one would spend on groceries, utilities and healthcare in each city on a monthly basis. GOBankingRates then added monthly housing, grocery, utilities and healthcare costs together to find where one can live on $2,500 a month in New York. All data was collected and is up to date as of June 23, 2025.

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