How much money you need to 'live comfortably' in NYC
NEW YORK - Living in NYC comes at a price – and it sure isn't cheap.
In a new study, researchers at SmartAsset analyzed data to determine the income required to "live comfortably" in the nation's 99 largest metropolitan areas.
JUMP TO: Top 10 Cities With the Highest Salaries Needed to Live Comfortably | Top 10 Cities With the Lowest Salaries Needed to Live Comfortably
To no one's surprise, the Big Apple has the biggest threshold.
Street scene in New York City on September 16, 2023 in New York City, United States. (Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)
The research revealed that it takes the most money to live comfortably as a single person in New York City, requiring $66.62 in hourly wages, or an annual salary of $138,570. That's more than $63,000 needed to sustain comfort in Houston, Texas, the lowest-ranking city on the list.
New York's also one of six U.S. cities where a family must make over $300k to raise two kids comfortably: $318,406, to be exact.
But New York City isn't alone – many neighboring cities are uncomfortable, per se. The "cheapest" city on the Northeast Corridor is Baltimore, ranking 23 on the list of cities with the lowest salaries needed for comfort.
People walk in Times Square on January 25, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)
What defines a ‘comfortable lifestyle’?
The study, which was published on March 7, utilized the 50/30/20 rule to define a comfortable lifestyle, allocating 50% of income to basic living expenses, 30% to discretionary spending and 20% for savings or debt payments.
SmartAsset then used the most recent MIT Living Wage Calculator data to gather the basic cost of living for an individual with no children, along with two working adults with two children.
Top 10 Cities With the Highest Salaries Needed to Live Comfortably
1. New York City, New York
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $66.62
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $138,570
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $318,406
2. San Jose, California
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $65.74
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $136,739
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $334,547
3. Irvine, California
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $60.96
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $126,797
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $291,450
4. Santa Ana, California
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $60.96
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $126,797
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $291,450
An American Airlines plane heads in for a landing at Boston Logan International Airport. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
5. Boston, Massachusetts
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $60.08
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $124,966
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $319,738
6. San Diego, California
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $59.04
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $122,803
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $289,453
7. Chula Vista, California
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $59.04
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $122,803
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $289,453
8. San Francisco, California
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $57.48
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $119,558
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $339,123
The Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline including the Salesforce Tower are seen in this view from the bay on Monday, March 9, 2020. (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
9. Seattle, Washington
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $57.40
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $119,392
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $283,712
10. Oakland, California
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $57.10
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $118,768
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $316,243
Top 10 Cities With the Lowest Salaries Needed to Live Comfortably
1. Houston, Texas
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $36.10
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $75,088
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $175,219
HOUSTON, TX - AUGUST 25: The downtown skyline is pictured on August 25, 2018 in Houston, Texas. August 25 is the one-year anniversary of when Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas coast, before inflicting severe damage on the city of Houston. (
2. El Paso, Texas
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $36.18
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $75,254
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $180,461
3. Lubbock, Texas
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $36.24
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $75,379
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $181,043
4. Toledo, Ohio
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $37.26
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $77,501
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $208,416
5. Laredo, Texas
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $37.72
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $78,458
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $179,046
6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $38.30
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $79,664
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $237,952
The Milwaukee Skyline in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 31, 2018. (Photo By Raymond Boyd/Getty Images)
7. Lexington, Kentucky
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $38.46
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $79,997
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $196,102
8. Tulsa, Oklahoma
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $38.98
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $81,078
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $199,430
9. Wichita, Kansas
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $39.04
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $81,203
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $186,784
10. Cleveland, Ohio
Hourly wage needed for a single adult: $39.32
Annual salary needed for a single adult to live comfortably: $81,786
Combined salaries for two working adults with two children needed: $217,984
See the full list of rankings here.