Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, NY would need to be about $52,015 in Kings County, NY, or $2,015 more, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Suffolk County, NY vs Kings County, NY: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Suffolk County, NY is cheaper than Kings County, NY.
Moving to Kings County, NY is estimated to cost $3,095 more per year.
Cheaper County
Suffolk County, NYSpend $3,095 more per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Suffolk County, NY is about $52,015 in Kings County, NY.
Biggest drivers
Housing increases by $6,132 per year. Transport saves $7,355 per year.
Housing: $6,132 higher in Kings County, NY
Taxes: $1,115 higher in Kings County, NY
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $937 higher in Kings County, NY
Food: $277 higher in Kings County, NY
Transport: $7,355 lower in Kings County, NY
Suffolk County, NY→Kings County, NY
Equivalent salary in Kings County, NY
$52,015
+4.03% higher
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Suffolk County, NY: $147,792
Median Income in Kings County, NY: $87,226
Living Index in Suffolk County, NY 51.92%
Living Index in Kings County, NY 91.53%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Suffolk County, NY to Kings County, NY.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Suffolk County, NY to Kings County, NY is estimated to cost $3,095 more per year. To maintain similar purchasing power, a $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, NY would need to be about $52,015 in Kings County, NY. The biggest increase is housing, followed by other costs.
This is a 4.03% increase in modeled annual costs. Housing is $6,132 per year higher (27.68%); Other Costs is $1,990 per year higher (23.8%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Suffolk County, NY and Kings County, NY, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 51.9% of median family income in Suffolk County, NY and 91.5% in Kings County, NY. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $6,132 per year higher in Kings County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Kings County, NY changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $277 per year higher in Kings County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Kings County, NY can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $7,355 per year lower in Kings County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Kings County, NY.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $937 per year higher in Kings County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Kings County, NY changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $1,990 per year higher in Kings County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Kings County, NY help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Suffolk County, NY and Kings County, NY, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Kings County, NY, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $1,115 per year higher in Kings County, NY than in Suffolk County, NY. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Kings County, NY matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Kings County, NY.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Kings County, NY
Annual Increase:
$6,132 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual increase when moving to Kings County, NY.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Kings County, NY
Annual Savings:
$7,355 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual savings when moving to Kings County, NY.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 28% higher | |
| Food | 6% higher | |
| Transport | -51% lower | |
| Healthcare | 12% higher | |
| Other Costs | 24% higher | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | 6% higher |
In Kings County, NY, modeled annual costs are $79,835 compared with $76,740 in Suffolk County, NY.
Overall, annual costs are higher in Kings County, NY. The category breakdown above shows whether housing, taxes, transportation, healthcare, food, childcare, or other necessities are driving the increase.
In this case Kings County, NY and Suffolk County, NY are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
