Average Utility Costs For Small Apartment in New York

New York City is considered one of the greatest cities in the world. With that said, it is also one of the most expensive cities in the world.

The city has the second-highest cost of living after Honolulu. So, you need to be financially prepared to live in New York.

The first thing people normally think about with a New York apartment is how much the rent is. You are likely paying over $3,000 for anything bigger than a studio. But, then there are utility costs; this is the living expense that can creep up on you if you do not think about it.

However, in the case of New York, it may not be a category you are paying an arm and a leg for. Just how expensive are New York City utilities?

Keep reading for our guide to help you understand this all a little bit more.

Table of Contents

Internet

The internet cost is the first utility expense that a lot of younger people may think about. This can depend on if you want a basic internet package or spring for something faster and more reliable in fiber internet.

With the internet, it can be as little as $35 per month. However, you are generally paying around $66 per month for any speed over 60 Mbps.

Another factor that you are going to have to consider with the internet is if you are the only one using the router, or if you are going to be sharing it with roommates.

If so, then the amount of data you use can become a factor depending on what internet plan you get. Also, if having more people use your router forces you to get a plan with faster internet speeds, then it may increase this bill.

Electricity

This is typically one of the most expensive utilities when it comes to apartments. In New York City, the average electric bill is $150 per month.

An electric bill includes things such as how often you keep your lights on, the power lines to make that possible, appliances such as a hairdryer, and even air conditioning.

Yes, air conditioning is usually part of your electric bill. So, in the winter months, you are most likely going to have a substantially lower electric bill than you would in the summer.

Because of air conditioning, an electric bill can go up to $300 a month when you want to run it nonstop.

In general, though, an electric bill in New York City is considered slightly below average to the rest of the country.

You can start to understand why when you realize that the climate in New York City does not demand as many appliances like air conditioning, and the fact that an apartment is usually a smaller space with fewer rooms to keep powered.

Of course, a studio or one-bedroom apartment is going to be cheaper than a two or three-bedroom apartment. However, one benefit of having this bill for a bigger space could be splitting the cost of powering common rooms such as a living room or a kitchen.

Gas

A gas bill is something that not many people think about, or even possibly know what it covers. Typically, gas is how your stove or oven works. If you have a fireplace, toss that in there as well.

The average gas bill in New York City is $100 a month. A majority of NYC apartments use gas for heating, so this bill can increase in the winter months.

However, a lot of apartments in the city generally include heat as part of the rent expense, so this may not be something that you have to worry about. But, if it is not included, then you may have to manage your heat when it gets cold outside.

Water

The water bill is generally included in a lot of apartments that you rent in the city. However, if it is not included, then the average cost is typically about $40 per month.

Cable

Cable is something that is becoming less and less popular among the younger crowd. A lot prefer to unplug and go the route of streaming services.

In NYC, a cable bill is rarely included in rent, so this could be a reason why. Also, for certain packages, it can end up being your highest expense per month.

It can be as low as $100 per month, or as high as $217 per month, depending on what package you get. The disadvantage to cable is that the size of your apartment does not usually matter, so you cannot take as much action to reduce this cost.

Instead, you can either cut the chord entirely or split it with a roommate.

Streaming Services

This is the alternative to cable. Here, you are only paying for what you want. The cost will depend on what streaming service you go with and how many you go with.

Netflix has a premium plan for $17.99 per month. HBO Max offers a standard subscription for $14.99 per month.

Then, there are bundles such as the Disney Bundle, which includes Hulu, ESPN+, and Disney+, which is $13.99 per month.

Parking

Finally, there is parking. This is a utility that is probably not going to apply to a lot of renters, because a majority of locals do not use a car in the city.

However, this comes at a price, with the average cost being $430 a month for a parking spot.

Parking is considered a luxury in NYC, but it is something that a select few are willing to shell out the money for.