Stony Brook, NY Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Stony Brook, NY Summary

Cost of living in Stony Brook 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 Stony Brook 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 Stony Brook is 152, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Stony Brook is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Stony Brook ranks as the #239 cheapest in New York out of 341.

  • Stony Brook ranks as the #5,746 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Stony Brook is $747,902.

  • The median income in Stony Brook is $162,054.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
152
Stony Brook's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Stony Brook, NY?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Stony Brook has an overall cost of living index of 152, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to New York, Stony Brook has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than New York's index of 119.

The standard of living in Stony Brook ranks as #239 most affordable out of the 341 places we measured in New York. By definition, that implies Stony Brook ranks as the #102 most expensive place in the Empire State.

For more reading on life in Stony Brook, check out:

239 out of 341
In New York
5,746 out of 6,489
In America

Stony Brook Cost Of Living Vs. New York

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

  • The Services index in Stony Brook is 113.

  • The Groceries index in Stony Brook is 103.

  • The Health index in Stony Brook is 109.

  • The Housing index in Stony Brook is 245.

  • The Transportation index in Stony Brook is 104.

  • The Utilities index in Stony Brook is 129.

Living Expense Stony Brook New York National Average
Overall 152 119 100
Services 113 110 100
Groceries 103 103 100
Health 109 101 100
Housing 245 145 100
Transportation 104 105 100
Utilities 129 99 100
For more reading on cost of living around New York, check out:
Stony Brook Cost of Living Vs. NY

Stony Brook, 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 Stony Brook is $747,902.

  • The Median Rent in Stony Brook is $2,643.

  • The Median Income in Stony Brook is $162,054.

  • The Home Value To Income in Stony Brook is 4.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Stony Brook is 0.2x.

Statistic Stony Brook New York United States
Median Home Value $747,902 $508,764 $303,400
Median Rent $2,643 $1,576 $1,348
Median Income $162,054 $84,578 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.6x 6.0x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.22x 0.21x
$747,902
Median Home Value
$2,643
Median Rent
$162,054
Median Income

Stony Brook, NY Costs By Category

Detailed Stony Brook Services Costs Vs. New York

Item Stony Brook New York
Shampoo $1.5 $1.28
Movie $13.76 $12.13
Bowling $19.63 $18
Haircut $32.33 $24.26
Beauty Salon $48.56 $45.56

Detailed Stony Brook Groceries Costs Vs. New York

Item Stony Brook New York
Ground Beef $6.34 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.61 $1.57
Milk $4.73 $4.67
Potatoes $5.03 $4.93
Pizza $10.07 $12.09
Beer $10.62 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.66 $3.7

Detailed Stony Brook Health Costs Vs. New York

Item Stony Brook New York
Optometrist $140.1 $125.68
Doctor $143.23 $135.78
Dentist $123.0 $113.29

Detailed Stony Brook Transportation Costs Vs. New York

Item Stony Brook New York
Gasoline $3.33 $3.46
Tire Balancing $57.68 $59.92

Detailed Stony Brook Utilities Costs Vs. New York

Item Stony Brook New York
All Electricity $281.67 $193.99
Phone $185.16 $192.25

Stony Brook SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
10
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Stony Brook

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

  • Commack, NY has a cost of living index of 154, 1.0x Stony Brook.

  • Centereach, NY has a cost of living index of 138, 0.9x Stony Brook.

  • West Islip, NY has a cost of living index of 151, 1.0x Stony Brook.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Stony Brook
Commack, NY 36,353 154 1.0x
Centereach, NY 31,501 138 0.9x
West Islip, NY 26,559 151 1.0x
Plainview, NY 26,251 167 1.1x
Smithtown, NY 24,940 157 1.0x
Huntington, NY 20,117 169 1.1x
East Islip, NY 13,687 148 1.0x
St. James, NY 13,680 151 1.0x
Nesconset, NY 13,344 159 1.0x
Lake Grove, NY 11,050 144 0.9x

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