Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ashland, MA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Ashland, MA: $3,638 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $15,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

176

Cost of Living Index in Ashland, MA
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Ashland, MA Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Ashland, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,638

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ashland, MA and in New York, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ashland, MA and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,638 per month in Ashland, MA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Ashland, MA $3,638
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,720 per month in Ashland, MA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Ashland, MA $4,720
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,802 per month in Ashland, MA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Ashland, MA $5,802
New York, NY $9,509

Ashland, MA is about 26% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Ashland, MA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Ashland, MA by 167%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.79 $19.79

$28.55 $28.55

-30.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$118 $118

-35.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 $13.21

$15.04 $15.04

-12.17%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$6.53 $6.53

-22.51%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.96 $3.96

-27.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.01 $3.01

-19.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$8.16 $8.16

-26.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.04 $9.04

$9.84 $9.84

-8.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.37 $1.37

-22.63%

White Bread (500g)

$4.46 $4.46

$4.97 $4.97

-10.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$16.37 $16.37

$7.81 $7.81

109.60%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$5.97 $5.97

-0.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$18.91 $18.91

-4.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 $10.73

$18.04 $18.04

-40.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.82 $18.82

$19.05 $19.05

-1.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$6.76 $6.76

-18.34%

Banana (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.27 $2.27

88.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$6.83 $6.83

-52.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$7.09 $7.09

-56.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$4.22 $4.22

-48.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$4.65 $4.65

-48.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.87 $2.87

-8.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.60 $2.60

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.66 $13.66

$18.77 $18.77

-27.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.34 $17.34

$20.13 $20.13

-13.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$3.45 $3.45

-45.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$4.02 $4.02

-32.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.08 $3.08

91.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.17 $1.17

-13.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K $28.2K

$34.5K $34.5K

-18.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.91%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$180 $180

$219 $219

-18.16%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$37.13 $37.13

$74.2 $74.2

-49.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 $59.1

$70.2 $70.2

-15.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 $76.1

$112 $112

-32.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.12 $44.12

$74.9 $74.9

-41.06%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 $12.37

$22.14 $22.14

-44.13%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,104 $2,104

$3,558 $3,558

-40.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.59 $38.59

$75.6 $75.6

-48.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.15 $16.15

$51.2 $51.2

-68.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$123 $123

-17.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$140 $140

-27.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 $2,102

$4,499 $4,499

-53.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,316 $2,316

$3,078 $3,078

-24.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,877 $2,877

$9,447 $9,447

-69.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 $2,820

$5,190 $5,190

-45.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,069 $5,069

$18.1K $18.1K

-72.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,390 $4,390

$6,693 $6,693

-34.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,849 $7,849

$5,220 $5,220

50.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.86

-5.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ashland, MA: October 26, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ashland, MA

$2.3K 63.7%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 32.9% $763

Groceries & Markets

Ashland, MA

$496 13.6%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 13.5% $67

Eating Out

Ashland, MA

$328 9%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 34.3% $112

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ashland, MA

$276 7.6%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 31.9% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Ashland, MA

$116 3.2%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 51.4% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Ashland, MA

$101 2.8%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 55% $55

Getting Around

Ashland, MA

$5.9 * 0.2%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 2689% $158

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,102 in Ashland, MA versus $4,499 in New York, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 50% higher in Ashland, MA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Ashland, MA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $496 vs $563 – making Ashland, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ashland, MA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

12:03 12:03 PM

Same time as Ashland, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

21,684

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ashland, MA New York, NY 290 km

From you

Ashland, MA
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ashland, MA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 36% more than Ashland, MA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,457 per month in Ashland, MA and $7,412 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ashland, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,102 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,638 in Ashland, MA and $4,941 in New York, NY. That’s a gap of about 36%.

Kindergarten costs $2,104 per month in Ashland, MA and $3,558 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,638 in Ashland, MA and $4,941 in New York, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Ashland, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.