15 Most Affordable Places to Live Near NYC

Published on January 27, 2017 at 3:14 am by Amber Hewitt in Lists

New York City is notoriously expensive and crowded place to live, which is why we compiled a list of the 15 most affordable places to live near NYC for those who want the city experience without the city living.

I don’t think there’s anywhere I’d rather live than in New York City. It’s a beautiful city filled with a ton of different people all shoved into small spaces. It’s kind of romantic in a way. It’s expensive to be here, but I’d rather be poor here than have a full savings account in any other place. I know plenty of people who commute into the city for work or for fun activities because they prefer to save money and stay away from the hustle and bustle as much as possible. I can’t relate, but maybe it’s because I’m young and don’t have a family to take care of. I’m free to do whatever I want and what I want is to be crammed into the crowded L train at 5 p.m. every day. I don’t want that in the moment, but in retrospect it’s not too bad.

Living outside the city lets you enjoy the best of both worlds as the great philosopher Hannah Montana once said. That is as long as you choose a town that has an easy commute, otherwise you’re stuck driving all over the place to get to where you want to be. You’ll still have easy access to amenities and a fairly decent commute time. The outer-city areas are more budget-friendly and many argue that it’s better to raise kids there. If you are looking for the ideal place to raise a family check out 11 Best New York Neighborhoods to Live in with Families and Kids.

When compiling this list of the 15 most affordable places to live near NYC, I took a look at some different commuter towns outside the city and ranked them according to cost of living and average income that could help offset the living expenses. The information about the cost of living and average income came from AreaVibes. Now, let’s finally take a look at those 15 most affordable places to live near NYC!

15. Harrison, NY

Cost of Living: 198 (Average = 100)

Average income: $111,122

30.6 miles to NYC

You’re probably looking at the cost of living and screaming inside because it’s so similar to NYC, but take a look at the average income and how it’s so much higher than the NYC average. That’s a huge reason why most people choose to live here because you can work here as well. The income you earn will likely allow you to sustain the cost of living and you’ll have much larger spaces to exist in.

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14. Pelham, NY

Cost of Living: 190 (Average = 100)

Average income: $118,125

23.6 miles to NYC

Pelham, the next on our list of most affordable places to live near NYC, is a pretty expensive community, but if you work here as well you’ll no doubt be able to pull off a lifestyle here. There’s a fairly short commute time into the city and it’s also ranked as one of the 12 most livable cities in New York.

13. University Gardens, NY

Cost of Living: 185 (Average = 100)

Average income: $121,100

20.1 miles to NYC

According to Area Vibes, University Gardens is a great place to live. The cost of living is still pretty high, but the income is impressive and it has a short, convenient commute to NYC when you need to go into the city.

12. Ridgewood, NJ

Cost of Living: 179 (Average = 100)

Average income: $141,315

25.8 miles to NYC

The income alone should be an encouragement that this is a great place to live and work. If you’re fortunate enough to be employed here, it’ll offset the fairly high cost of living. For days when you need to get into NYC, expect your commute to be quick and pretty hassle-free.

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11. Floral Park, NY

Cost of Living: 170 (Average = 100)

Average income: $106,134

20.7 miles to NYC

The cost of living is beginning to dwindle as we make our way down the list of 15 most affordable places to live near NYC. Floral Park is still in New York, so you get the satisfaction of a New York license if that’s something appealing to you. You’ll make a decent amount of money and not have to worry about a long commute time as well.

10. Westwood, NJ

Cost of Living: 155 (Average = 100)

Average income: $85,588

32.3 miles to NYC

Rent costs tend to be about average here, but the cost of living is lower than that of NYC and the income is pretty nice if you’re fortunate enough to be employed here as well. There are a lot of commute options here for when you need to run into the city.

9. Mount Vernon, NY

Cost of Living: 153 (Average = 100)

Average income: $49,268

22.4 miles to NYC

So the income isn’t as high here as compared to other places on this list, but it’s fairly inexpensive to live here and you’ll get more for your money. You’ll save on commuting, too.

8. Secausus, NJ

Cost of Living: 152 (Average = 100)

Average income: $84,626

8.8 miles to NYC

The commute from Secausus to NYC is short and sweet and this city has been long known as one of the best. Houses tend to be cheaper here compared to renting.

Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock.com

7. Guttenberg, NJ

Cost of Living: 146 (Average = 100)

Average income: $52,466

8.6 miles to NYC

This is one of the most affordable and livable cities outside NYC. There’s a low cost of living and fairly reasonable rent prices. Getting to the city isn’t much of a problem because there are so many options.

6. Jersey City, NJ

Cost of Living: 141 (Average = 100)

Average income: $64,419

6.3 miles to NYC

Jersey City is one of the most popular options for people who commute to the city often. It’s up and coming and the cost of living is lower than most. Jersey City has some of the best commuting options on this list of most affordable places to live near NYC.

5. Union City, NJ

Cost of Living: 123 (Average = 100)

Average income: $40,939

7.7 miles to NYC

Getting from Union City to New York City can be as cheap as $4. Living here is great because the rent is low and you won’t feel so far from the city.

4. Montclair, NJ

Cost of Living: 120 (Average = 100)

Average income: $98,547

20 miles to NYC

As a small town just outside NYC, Montclair has affordable living spaces that make you feel close enough not to feel left out.

3. Caldwell, NJ

Cost of Living: 104 (Average = 100)

Average income: $76,283

24.5 miles to NYC

A spacious apartment for just a little over $1,000 sounds like a great idea if you work in New York but want somewhere cheaper to live. You don’t have to fret about the commute because it’s easy to hoop a bus or a train. If you’re not employed in NYC, the average income here is great, too.

2. Bloomfield, NY

Cost of Living: 96 (Average = 100)

Average income: $53,188

31.8 miles to NYC

The average cost of rent here is as low as $735 a month, and considering the cost of living is so low it’s easy to have a decent amount of money saved up. There are lots of options for commuting into the city.

1. Kensington, NY

Cost of Living: 78 (Average = 100)

Average income: $33,152

21 miles to NYC

With a cost of living well below the average, it’s no surprise Kensington is at the top of this list of most affordable places to live near NYC. The average income is a little low, but if you work in the city it could offset this. It’s cheap to rent an apartment, but the commute is a tad longer than some others listed.

For a city life without living in the confines of a city, the 15 most affordable places to live near NYC are the best of the best. Your cost of living goes down and quality of living goes up. Where would you rather live?