Albany, NY Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 104, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Albany ranks as the #98 cheapest in New York out of 340.

  • Albany ranks as the #3,585 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Albany is $186,500.

  • The median income in Albany is $52,583.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
104
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 104, 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 126.

The standard of living in Albany ranks as #98 most affordable out of the 340 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Albany ranks as the #242 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Albany, check out:

98 out of 340
In New York
3,585 out of 6,412
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 108.

  • The Groceries index in Albany is 113.

  • The Health index in Albany is 105.

  • The Housing index in Albany is 94.

  • The Transportation index in Albany is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Albany is 101.

Living Expense Albany New York National Average
Overall 104 126 100
Services 108 110 100
Groceries 113 104 100
Health 105 105 100
Housing 94 175 100
Transportation 102 107 100
Utilities 101 102 100
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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Albany is $186,500.

  • The Median Rent in Albany is $1,061.

  • The Median Income in Albany is $52,583.

  • The Home Value To Income in Albany is 3.5x.

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

Statistic Albany New York United States
Median Home Value $186,500 $340,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,061 $1,390 $1,163
Median Income $52,583 $75,157 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.5x 4.5x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.22x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Albany, NY
$186,500
Median Home Value
$1,061
Median Rent
$52,583
Median Income

Albany, NY Costs By Category

Detailed Albany Services Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
Shampoo $1.06 $1.06
Movie $14.09 $10.68
Bowling $17.0 $14.67
Haircut $21.64 $18.62
Beauty Salon $45.78 $39.05

Detailed Albany Groceries Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
Ground Beef $3.6 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.56 $1.39
Milk $2.44 $2.05
Potatoes $3.46 $3.29
Pizza $10.52 $10.62
Beer $9.93 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.41 $2.34

Detailed Albany Health Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
Optometrist $142.69 $108.57
Doctor $102.25 $116.17
Dentist $110.33 $99.13

Detailed Albany Transportation Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
Gasoline $2.36 $2.22
Tire Balancing $48.79 $50.07

Detailed Albany Utilities Costs Vs. New York

Item Albany New York
All Electricity $163.41 $167.67
Phone $188.21 $175.64

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 101, 1.0x Albany.

  • Rotterdam, NY has a cost of living index of 104, 1.0x Albany.

  • Niskayuna, NY has a cost of living index of 110, 1.1x Albany.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Albany
Troy, NY 50,717 101 1.0x
Rotterdam, NY 22,584 104 1.0x
Niskayuna, NY 20,369 110 1.1x
Cohoes, NY 17,931 101 1.0x
East Glenville, NY 11,687 109 1.0x
Watervliet, NY 10,363 97 0.9x
Rensselaer, NY 9,330 100 1.0x
Colonie, NY 7,792 107 1.0x
Westmere, NY 7,730 111 1.1x
Scotia, NY 7,305 98 0.9x

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