Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Costa Mesa, CA and Hempstead, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Hempstead, NY: $1,448 a month against $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent and utilities included – about $30,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

192

Cost of Living Index in Costa Mesa, CA
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Costa Mesa, CA Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Hempstead, NY
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Hempstead, NY Living Index

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Costa Mesa, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,959

/mo nomad

Hempstead, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,448

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Costa Mesa, CA and in Hempstead, NY

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

A single person spends $3,959 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $1,448 in Hempstead, NY, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA $3,959
Hempstead, NY $1,448

A couple spends around $5,540 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $2,288 in Hempstead, NY, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA $5,540
Hempstead, NY $2,288

A family of three spends $7,121 per month in Costa Mesa, CA vs $3,128 in Hempstead, NY, rent included.

Costa Mesa, CA $7,121
Hempstead, NY $3,128

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 173% more than Hempstead, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Costa Mesa, CA and Hempstead, NY sit above the global median – Costa Mesa, CA by 193%, Hempstead, NY by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.85 $19.85

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$75.6 $75.6

3.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 $14.90

$12.71 $12.71

17.23%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$5.17 $5.17

8.12%

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

$3.40 $3.40

$3.10 $3.10

9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.22 $2.22

12.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.32 $7.32

$5.84 $5.84

25.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.73 $9.73

$8.15 $8.15

19.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.20 $1.20

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.61 $1.61

149.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.42 $2.42

93.80%

Eggs

$5.09 $5.09

$3.57 $3.57

42.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 $12.82

$9.59 $9.59

33.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.19 $20.19

$12.26 $12.26

64.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.58 $21.58

$12.26 $12.26

76.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.89 $2.89

73.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.61 $1.61

54.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$1.81 $1.81

150.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.33 $5.33

8.82%

Potato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.71 $2.71

67.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$2.59 $2.59

-10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.49 $2.49

-13.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.49 $2.49

-23.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.60 $11.60

$13.17 $13.17

-11.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.06 $15.06

$14.78 $14.78

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.41 $2.41

-16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 $4.18

$4.34 $4.34

-3.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.97 $2.97

-34.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 $69.9

$131 $131

-46.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.65 $2.65

130.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 $0.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.84 $23.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.10 $1.10

33.64%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$35.8K $35.8K

4.04%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.62%

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

$218 $218

$214 $214

1.56%

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

$68.5 $68.5

$63.2 $63.2

8.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$64.8 $64.8

10.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.81 $39.81

$108 $108

-63.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 $12.21

Cinema Ticket

$16.67 $16.67

$15.40 $15.40

8.25%

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

$1,196 $1,196

$2,215 $2,215

-46.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.3K $42.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$49.24 $49.24

15.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.38 $47.38

$46.66 $46.66

1.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$103 $103

-9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$141 $141

-9.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,726 $2,726

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,467 $2,467

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,187 $4,187

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,833 $3,833

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,284 $9,284

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,077 $7,077

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,286 $6,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.62

-3.47%

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

Last update for Costa Mesa, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Hempstead, NY: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Costa Mesa, CA

$2.5K 62.3%

Hempstead, NY

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Costa Mesa, CA

$480 12.1%

Hempstead, NY

$340 23.5% 29.1% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Costa Mesa, CA

$358 9%

Hempstead, NY

$342 23.6% 4.3% $15

Eating Out

Costa Mesa, CA

$350 8.9%

Hempstead, NY

$326 22.5% 7% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Costa Mesa, CA

$147 3.7%

Hempstead, NY

$153 10.6% 4.3% $6.3

Getting Around

Costa Mesa, CA

$84 * 2.1%

Hempstead, NY

$148 10.2% 76.7% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Costa Mesa, CA

$73 1.9%

Hempstead, NY

$139 9.6% 89.8% $66

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Costa Mesa, CA versus $76.0 in Hempstead, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $480 vs $340 – making Hempstead, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Costa Mesa, CA

🇺🇸 Hempstead, NY

🕒 Local time

16:24 4:24 PM

19:24 7:24 PM

3 h ahead of Costa Mesa, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,960

793,409

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Costa Mesa, CA Hempstead, NY 3,960 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Costa Mesa, CA
Hempstead, NY

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

Costa Mesa, CA vs Hempstead, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 173% more than Hempstead, NY, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,938 per month in Costa Mesa, CA and $2,173 in Hempstead, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Costa Mesa, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Costa Mesa, CA and $76.0 in Hempstead, NY. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hempstead, NY, where all-in costs run around $1,448, than in Costa Mesa, CA at $3,959. In Hempstead, NY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Costa Mesa, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hempstead, NY costs $1,448 versus $3,959 in Costa Mesa, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hempstead, NY. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Costa Mesa, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.