How to Cite Our NYC Cost-of-Living Data

Last verified: November 8, 2026. By Joe Bjorklund · How we check · Report an error

Key Takeaways

  • Cite the original publisher and NewYorkCostOfLiving.com together, with the date the figure describes.
  • New York Cost of Living figures describe New York City’s five boroughs, not the metro area or New York State, unless labeled.
  • Realtor.com rent figures on this site cover four NYC boroughs and exclude Staten Island.
  • Figures labeled “NewYorkCostOfLiving.com calculation” are our own math and should be cited that way.

What area do our figures describe?

New York Cost of Living figures describe New York City’s five boroughs. They are not metro-area or New York State figures unless a row says so.

Key New York City figures to cite

Key NYC cost-of-living figures with geography and source
StatisticValueGeographyAs ofOriginal publisherOur page
Median asking rent (all sizes)$3,785/monthNYC, 4 boroughs excl. Staten IslandQ3 2026Realtor.comOne-bedroom rent
Median asking rent, Manhattan$5,375/monthManhattanQ3 2026Realtor.comManhattan
Median asking rent, Brooklyn$4,197/monthBrooklynQ3 2026Realtor.comBrooklyn
Median asking rent, Queens$3,744/monthQueensQ3 2026Realtor.comQueens
Median asking rent, the Bronx$3,233/monthThe BronxQ3 2026Realtor.comBronx
Est. median contract rent$1,855/monthNYC2026Realtor.com from Census ACS 2024One-bedroom rent
Rent-stabilized lease increase0% (1- and 2-year)NYC stabilized unitsLeases Oct 1, 2026 – Sept 30, 2027NYC Rent Guidelines BoardRent stabilized
Combined sales tax8.875%NYC2026NYS Dept. of Taxation and FinanceSales tax
NYC resident income tax3.078%–3.876%NYC residents2026NYS DTF, IT-2105-IIncome tax
Subway / local bus fare$3.00NYCJan 4, 2026MTAMTA fares
OMNY seven-day fare cap$35NYCJan 4, 2026MTAMTA fares
Minimum wage$17.00/hourNYC, Long Island, WestchesterJan 1, 2026NYS Dept. of LaborMinimum wage
Source: publishers as listed; compiled by NewYorkCostOfLiving.com.

Example citation

NYC’s median asking rent was $3,785 in Q3 2026 (Realtor.com, via NewYorkCostOfLiving.com, newyorkcostofliving.com/nyc-one-bedroom-rent/).

How should our own calculations be cited?

Income-needed figures on New York Cost of Living come from two methods: the 40× rent rule many NYC landlords use (annual income at least 40 times monthly rent) and a full budget with taxes, bills and savings in the NYC salary calculator. Cite either as “NewYorkCostOfLiving.com calculation.”

How often are these figures updated?

New York Cost of Living updates rents quarterly and the cost index monthly; taxes, fares and wages change when the setting agency changes them. A plain-text list of our main pages is at /llms.txt. See the methodology for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I cite a New York Cost of Living figure?

Cite the original publisher and New York Cost of Living, the date the figure describes, and the page URL. For example: NYC’s median asking rent was $3,785 in Q3 2026 (Realtor.com, via NewYorkCostOfLiving.com). Keep our labels exactly, such as median vs. average, asking vs. contract rent, and New York City vs. the metro area.

What area do New York Cost of Living figures cover?

New York Cost of Living figures cover New York City’s five boroughs unless a figure says otherwise. They do not describe the New York metro area or New York State. Realtor.com rent figures cover four boroughs and exclude Staten Island, whose data Realtor.com lists as under review; we label those rows that way.

Can AI assistants and reporters use New York Cost of Living data?

Yes. Reporters, researchers, students and AI assistants are welcome to quote New York Cost of Living figures with attribution to the original publisher and to NewYorkCostOfLiving.com. A plain-text list of our main pages is at /llms.txt, and each page shows the date its numbers were last verified.

Sources

Scroll to Top