Albany, NY Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Albany, NY Summary

Cost of living in Albany research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Albany is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New York, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Albany is 101, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Albany is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Albany ranks as the #89 cheapest in New York out of 341.

  • Albany ranks as the #2,735 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Albany is $317,640.

  • The median income in Albany is $59,485.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
101
Albany's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Albany, NY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Albany has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New York, Albany has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than New York's index of 119.

The standard of living in Albany ranks as #89 most affordable out of the 341 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Albany ranks as the #252 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Albany, check out:

89 out of 341
In New York
2,735 out of 6,489
In America

Albany Cost Of Living Vs. New York

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Albany. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Albany is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Albany is 101.

  • The Health index in Albany is 91.

  • The Housing index in Albany is 101.

  • The Transportation index in Albany is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Albany is 104.

Living Expense Albany New York National Average
Overall 101 119 100
Services 106 110 100
Groceries 101 103 100
Health 91 101 100
Housing 101 145 100
Transportation 97 105 100
Utilities 104 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around New York, check out:
Albany Cost of Living Vs. NY

Albany, NY Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New York, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Albany is $317,640.

  • The Median Rent in Albany is $1,178.

  • The Median Income in Albany is $59,485.

  • The Home Value To Income in Albany is 5.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Albany is 0.24x.

Statistic Albany New York United States
Median Home Value $317,640 $508,764 $303,400
Median Rent $1,178 $1,576 $1,348
Median Income $59,485 $84,578 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.3x 6.0x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.22x 0.21x
$317,640
Median Home Value
$1,178
Median Rent
$59,485
Median Income

Albany, NY Costs By Category

Detailed Albany Services Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
Shampoo $1.28 $1.28
Movie $13.08 $12.13
Bowling $15.96 $18
Haircut $28.28 $24.26
Beauty Salon $51.36 $45.56

Detailed Albany Groceries Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
Ground Beef $6.06 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.6 $1.57
Milk $4.85 $4.67
Potatoes $5.09 $4.93
Pizza $14.69 $12.09
Beer $10.9 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.74 $3.7

Detailed Albany Health Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
Optometrist $132.47 $125.68
Doctor $111.33 $135.78
Dentist $111.69 $113.29

Detailed Albany Transportation Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
Gasoline $3.55 $3.46
Tire Balancing $50.33 $59.92

Detailed Albany Utilities Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
All Electricity $196.7 $193.99
Phone $195.71 $192.25

Albany SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8
Affordability
5
Diversity
10
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Albany

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Albany. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Troy, NY has a cost of living index of 100, 1.0x Albany.

  • Rotterdam, NY has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Albany.

  • Niskayuna, NY has a cost of living index of 115, 1.1x Albany.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Albany
Troy, NY 51,054 100 1.0x
Rotterdam, NY 22,798 102 1.0x
Niskayuna, NY 20,774 115 1.1x
Cohoes, NY 18,043 99 1.0x
East Glenville, NY 11,399 107 1.1x
Watervliet, NY 10,285 100 1.0x
Rensselaer, NY 9,247 100 1.0x
Colonie, NY 7,705 109 1.1x
Westmere, NY 7,616 113 1.1x
Scotia, NY 7,260 98 1.0x

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