How much does it cost to run New York City for one day?

New Yorkers have heard a lot lately about how much money city leaders are spending providing shelter and other services to newly arrived migrants – in short, a lot – but what did an average day look like before the surge of new arrivals? 

In response to a request from City Council Finance Committee Chair Justin Brannan, the New York City Independent Budget Office calculated that city spending averaged about $300 million daily during fiscal year 2022. The largest slice of that figure, $89.8 million, went toward education. The second most at $46.2 million? Social services, about two thirds of which was for the Department of Social Services. Spending for the New York City Police Department meanwhile rolled in at about $16.2 million a day. 

To put the $300 million in perspective with the migrant crisis, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the city is spending an average of $9.8 million a day – and almost $300 million a month – providing shelter, food, medical care and social services to the city’s newest arrivals as of Aug. 9.