Poughkeepsie, New York
Living in Poughkeepsie, New York is about 6% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 106 (US = 100). Typical rent is $2,259 a month, 17% above the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.23 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 44% of the area's $97,273 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$4.23
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$2,259
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$16.50
Combo meal
Electricity
28.65¢
per kWh · ~$258/mo
Car Insurance
$240/mo
$2,877/yr
Median Household Income
$97,273
44% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,877 in Poughkeepsie. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $2,259/mo in Poughkeepsie. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$16.50
Casual Dining
$32.00
Monthly Spend
$455
+5.8% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.50
$14.50
+70.6%Wendy's
2022: $9.50
$15.50
+63.2%Chipotle
2022: $10.50
$15.80
+50.5%Starbucks
2022: $4.70
$7.20
+53.2%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Poughkeepsie?
Average 1BR: $1,852/mo · 2BR: $2,666/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
113k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,364
$71k/yr
Top Sector
Education & Health Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$97k
household median
Employment by Sector — Poughkeepsie
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$69k/yr
~$58k/yr
~$30k/yr
~$72k/yr
~$127k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 36027
Highest Paying Sector
Construction
$2,433/wk · $127k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$581/wk · $30k/yr
Poughkeepsie Cost of Living FAQ
Is Poughkeepsie, NY expensive to live in?
Poughkeepsie has a cost of living index of 106, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 6% more expensive than average. It is the 3rd most affordable of the 18 New York cities we track.
What is the average rent in Poughkeepsie, NY?
Typical rent in Poughkeepsie is $2,259 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 17% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,852 and two bedrooms about $2,666. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Poughkeepsie?
Rent in Poughkeepsie rose 3.6% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Poughkeepsie?
Regular unleaded costs about $4.23 a gallon in Poughkeepsie as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for New York. That is 6% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Poughkeepsie?
Homes in New York pay an average of 28.6 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Poughkeepsie is about $258.
How much is car insurance in Poughkeepsie?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,877 a year in New York, or about $240 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Poughkeepsie?
Median household income in the Poughkeepsie area is $97,273 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $42,784 a year, or 44% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,165 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Poughkeepsie compare with the rest of New York?
Rent in Poughkeepsie is 39% above the $1,625 average across the 18 New York cities we track, and its cost of living index of 106 compares with a state average of 131.
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