Ithaca, NY Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Ithaca, NY Summary

Cost of living in Ithaca 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 Ithaca 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 Ithaca is 111, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Ithaca is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Ithaca ranks as the #111 cheapest in New York out of 341.

  • Ithaca ranks as the #3,765 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Ithaca is $416,732.

  • The median income in Ithaca is $48,617.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
111
Ithaca's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Ithaca, NY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Ithaca has an overall cost of living index of 111, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New York, Ithaca has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than New York's index of 119.

The standard of living in Ithaca ranks as #111 most affordable out of the 341 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Ithaca ranks as the #230 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Ithaca, check out:

111 out of 341
In New York
3,765 out of 6,489
In America

Ithaca Cost Of Living Vs. New York

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

  • The Services index in Ithaca is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Ithaca is 97.

  • The Health index in Ithaca is 101.

  • The Housing index in Ithaca is 138.

  • The Transportation index in Ithaca is 108.

  • The Utilities index in Ithaca is 106.

Living Expense Ithaca New York National Average
Overall 111 119 100
Services 102 110 100
Groceries 97 103 100
Health 101 101 100
Housing 138 145 100
Transportation 108 105 100
Utilities 106 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around New York, check out:
Ithaca Cost of Living Vs. NY

Ithaca, 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 Ithaca is $416,732.

  • The Median Rent in Ithaca is $1,441.

  • The Median Income in Ithaca is $48,617.

  • The Home Value To Income in Ithaca is 8.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Ithaca is 0.36x.

Statistic Ithaca New York United States
Median Home Value $416,732 $508,764 $303,400
Median Rent $1,441 $1,576 $1,348
Median Income $48,617 $84,578 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.6x 6.0x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.36x 0.22x 0.21x
$416,732
Median Home Value
$1,441
Median Rent
$48,617
Median Income

Ithaca, NY Costs By Category

Detailed Ithaca Services Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $13.27 $12.13
Bowling $16.74 $18
Haircut $20.03 $24.26
Beauty Salon $42.39 $45.56

Detailed Ithaca Groceries Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
Ground Beef $5.93 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.71 $4.67
Potatoes $5.13 $4.93
Pizza $14.83 $12.09
Beer $10.15 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7

Detailed Ithaca Health Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
Optometrist $160.58 $125.68
Doctor $115.23 $135.78
Dentist $110.48 $113.29

Detailed Ithaca Transportation Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
Gasoline $3.59 $3.46
Tire Balancing $69.82 $59.92

Detailed Ithaca Utilities Costs Vs. New York

Item Ithaca New York
All Electricity $166.89 $193.99
Phone $194.41 $192.25

Ithaca SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
9.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Ithaca

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

  • Endwell, NY has a cost of living index of 91, 0.8x Ithaca.

  • Fairmount, NY has a cost of living index of 99, 0.9x Ithaca.

  • Baldwinsville, NY has a cost of living index of 95, 0.9x Ithaca.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Ithaca
Endwell, NY 11,821 91 0.8x
Fairmount, NY 9,998 99 0.9x
Baldwinsville, NY 7,732 95 0.9x
Seneca Falls, NY 6,967 92 0.8x
South Hill, NY 6,805 111 1.0x
Solvay, NY 6,590 91 0.8x
Big Flats, NY 5,846 104 0.9x
Sayre, PA 5,444 92 0.8x
Westvale, NY 5,293 105 0.9x

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