F
58%
Overall NAT. AVG.
20%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
155%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Wantagh New York National
Cost of living158118100
Goods & Services120108100
Groceries108102100
Health care130111100
Housing255144100
Transportation100107100
Utilities129101100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Wantagh, NY

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Wantagh? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Wantagh stands at 158, making it 58% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.

If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, Wantagh may not be the most suitable option, as it stands out as one of the priciest areas in the entire United States. Only a small fraction of regions have a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, Wantagh falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.

Housing costs significantly influence the Wantagh cost of living index, typically accounting for a substantial portion of one's post-tax income. Regrettably, within this particular region, expenses related to both residential ownership and renting exceeded those observed in an average city by 155.3%. This entails elements such as housing and rental prices, mortgage interest rates and insurance costs.

The things you purchase regularly, like clothes, haircuts, movie tickets and gym memberships, can make a big dent in your budget and make up 33% of the cost of living index. Unfortunately in Wantagh, these items will cost you 19.6% more than what's considered the norm, making it a more expensive place to call home.

Is Wantagh Affordable?

Is Wantagh affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in Wantagh, the median home price is 190.3% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 73.7% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Wantagh boasting a median household income of $228,722, 181.2% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Wantagh?

Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.

Subsidies: Certain cities or states may institute government subsidies or assistance programs designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with the cost of living for their residents. These programs encompass a variety of support mechanisms, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farm subsidies. Areas that provide fewer subsidies may see an uptick in their overall cost of living.

Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in Wantagh comes in at 28.9% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Wantagh cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Wantagh is 35% higher than the New York average
  • The cost of living in Wantagh is 58% higher than the national average
  • Wantagh housing is 155% higher than the national average
  • New York general sales tax is 22% lower than the national average
  • New York state income tax is 54% higher than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Wantagh

See all the best places to live around Wantagh

Compare Wantagh, NY Cost of Living

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      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$238,176$19,848$5,557$7,146
      Renters$109,944$9,162$2,565$3,299
      The affordability of the housing market in Wantagh, NY as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Wantagh homeowners, the median income is $238,176. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $5,557 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $109,944. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $2,565 for their rent related monthly costs.

      New York Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      New York 4% 8.875%

      New York Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      New York 4% 10.9%

      Goods & Services

      Item Wantagh National avg. Difference
      Haircut $35.58$27.6228.8%
      Beauty Salon $77.98$51.1152.6%
      Toothpaste $3.98$4.092.8%
      Shampoo $1.75$1.5413.5%
      Movie $18.17$12.8841.1%
      Yoga $32.45$19.6665.0%

      Groceries

      Item Wantagh National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $7.15$7.707.2%
      Fried Chicken $1.54$1.667.4%
      Milk $5.20$4.739.9%
      Potatoes $5.64$5.267.3%
      Pizza $13.65$12.767.0%
      Beer $10.84$10.552.8%

      Health Care

      Item Wantagh National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $173.75$140.0624.1%
      Doctor $292.23$153.8290.0%
      Dentist $142.76$123.1515.9%
      Ibuprofen $12.11$11.733.2%
      Lipitor $21.15$23.6110.4%

      Housing

      Item Wantagh National avg. Difference
      Home Price $948,210.00$326,622.00190.3%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $5,693.50$2,480.25129.6%
      Apartment Rent $2,508.00$1,444.0073.7%

      Transportation

      Item Wantagh National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $3.03$3.060.8%
      Tire Balancing $65.87$65.211.0%

      Utilities

      Item Wantagh National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $319.28$220.1245.0%
      Phone $201.32$195.712.9%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Wyandanch, NY11,92513030.2%
      Brentwood, NY64,44813434.3%
      North Bay Shore, NY20,19813434.4%
      Hempstead, NY56,90813535.5%
      North Lindenhurst, NY11,09613635.9%
      Wantagh, NY17,95015858.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Anoka, MN17,9621021.5%
      Lithia Springs, GA17,936937.1%
      Kingstowne, VA17,96715151.4%
      South Houston, TX17,971909.9%
      Iselin, NJ17,97312827.5%
      Wantagh, NY17,95015858.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.