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Albany, NY Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Albany. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Albany compared to the state and national averages.

Chris Kolmar
Written by
HomeSnacks
Last updated
2026-06-20

Cost of living in Albany, New York

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:

110 Cost of living index 1.1x higher vs US
#90 Cheapest in New York (of 336)
#3,531 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$320,505 Median home value
$1,216 Median rent
$61,986 Median income
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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 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New York, Albany has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than New York's index of 121.

The standard of living in Albany ranks as #90 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Albany ranks as the #246 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Albany, check out:

Albany Cost Of Living Vs. New York

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

  • The Services index in Albany is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Albany is 112.

  • The Health index in Albany is 104.

  • The Housing index in Albany is 112.

  • The Transportation index in Albany is 119.

  • The Utilities index in Albany is 112.

Living Expense Albany New York National Average
Overall 110 121 100
Services 108 105 100
Groceries 112 108 100
Health 104 143 100
Housing 112 112 100
Transportation 119 114 100
Utilities 112 111 100

Albany Cost Of Living Compared To New York Averages

Services
Albany 108
New York avg 105
Groceries
Albany 112
New York avg 108
Health
Albany 104
New York avg 143
Housing
Albany 112
New York avg 112
Transportation
Albany 119
New York avg 114
Utilities
Albany 112
New York avg 111

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around New York, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Albany, NY Housing Cost Breakdown

$320,505Median Home Value
$1,216Median Rent
$61,986Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Albany is $320,505.

  • The Median Rent in Albany is $1,216.

  • The Median Income in Albany is $61,986.

  • The Home Value To Income in Albany is 5.2x.

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

Statistic Albany New York United States
Median Home Value $320,505 $507,794 $332,700
Median Rent $1,216 $1,621 $1,413
Median Income $61,986 $85,974 $80,734
Home Value To Income 5.2x 5.9x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.23x 0.21x

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

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

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 104, 0.9x Albany.

  • Rotterdam, NY has a cost of living index of 103, 0.9x Albany.

  • Niskayuna, NY has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x Albany.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Albany
Troy, NY 51,033 104 0.9x
Rotterdam, NY 22,695 103 0.9x
Niskayuna, NY 21,227 124 1.1x
Cohoes, NY 18,159 104 0.9x
East Glenville, NY 11,914 114 1.0x
Watervliet, NY 10,287 104 0.9x
Rensselaer, NY 9,287 104 0.9x
Westmere, NY 8,334 121 1.1x
Colonie, NY 7,702 118 1.1x
Scotia, NY 7,264 103 0.9x
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