Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dover, DE and Northampton, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Dover, DE: $2,593 a month against $2,841 in Northampton, MA, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Northampton, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Dover, DE
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Dover, DE Living Index
138

Cost of Living Index in Northampton, MA
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Northampton, MA Living Index

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Dover, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,593

/mo nomad

Northampton, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,841

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dover, DE and in Northampton, MA

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

A single person spends $2,593 per month in Dover, DE vs $2,841 in Northampton, MA, rent included.

Dover, DE $2,593
Northampton, MA $2,841

A couple spends around $3,781 per month in Dover, DE vs $4,134 in Northampton, MA, rent included.

Dover, DE $3,781
Northampton, MA $4,134

A family of three spends $4,970 per month in Dover, DE vs $5,427 in Northampton, MA, rent included.

Dover, DE $4,970
Northampton, MA $5,427

Dover, DE is about 9% cheaper than Northampton, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dover, DE and Northampton, MA sit above the global median – Dover, DE by 91%, Northampton, MA by 109%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 $13.16

$17.78 $17.78

-25.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 $59.9

$79.1 $79.1

-24.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 $10.58

$10.69 $10.69

-1.03%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$4.60 $4.60

7.17%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.80 $2.80

-17.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.27 $2.27

-2.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.10 $5.10

-2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.83 $7.83

3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.08 $1.08

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.82 $2.82

$4.05 $4.05

-30.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$5.44 $5.44

-51.10%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$4.77 $4.77

4.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 $12.23

$11.23 $11.23

8.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.54 $14.54

$6.73 $6.73

116.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$17.52 $17.52

7.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$5.88 $5.88

-16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.60 $1.60

-30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$4.43 $4.43

39.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$5.41 $5.41

-4.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.22 $3.22

-3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.79 $3.79

-46.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$3.06 $3.06

-43.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.59 $8.59

$13.80 $13.80

-37.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$13.27 $13.27

11.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.83 $1.83

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.01 $2.01

148.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.86 $0.86

13.95%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$27.5K $27.5K

0.11%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.4K $25.4K

4.58%

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

$219 $219

$131 $131

66.83%

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

$49.94 $49.94

$62.0 $62.0

-19.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$72.5 $72.5

-1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$51.6 $51.6

133.38%

Cinema Ticket

$17.07 $17.07

$14.45 $14.45

18.13%

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

$687 $687

$1,815 $1,815

-62.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$29.5K $29.5K

-26.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.92 $47.92

$23.49 $23.49

104.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.92 $35.92

$38.76 $38.76

-7.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$79.2 $79.2

38.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$201 $201

$101 $101

98.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 $1,692

$2,048 $2,048

-17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 $1,251

$1,730 $1,730

-27.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,608 $2,608

-9.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 $2,110

$2,862 $2,862

-26.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,146 $2,146

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,180 $2,180

$2,821 $2,821

-22.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,760 $5,760

$3,930 $3,930

46.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.72

6.64

1.20%

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

Last update for Dover, DE: October 25, 2026

Last update for Northampton, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dover, DE

$1.3K 48.3%

Northampton, MA

$1.7K 60.9% 38.3% $479

Groceries & Markets

Dover, DE

$415 16%

Northampton, MA

$365 * 12.8% 12% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dover, DE

$340 13.1%

Northampton, MA

$266 9.4% 21.9% $74

Eating Out

Dover, DE

$255 9.8%

Northampton, MA

$291 10.2% 14% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Dover, DE

$177 6.8%

Northampton, MA

$109 3.8% 38.4% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Dover, DE

$155 6%

Northampton, MA

$81 2.8% 47.9% $74

Getting Around

Dover, DE

- * 0%

Northampton, MA

- * 0%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,692 in Dover, DE versus $2,048 in Northampton, MA. 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 47% higher in Dover, DE, 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 $60 in Dover, DE versus $79 in Northampton, MA. Groceries tell a different story – $415 in Dover, DE vs $365 in Northampton, MA – so Northampton, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dover, DE

🇺🇸 Northampton, MA

🕒 Local time

18:57 6:57 PM

Same time as Dover, DE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,735

28,549

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Dover, DE Northampton, MA 430 km

From you

Dover, DE
Northampton, MA

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

Dover, DE vs Northampton, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Northampton, MA costs about 10% more than Dover, DE, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,890 per month in Dover, DE and $4,262 in Northampton, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dover, DE, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,692 there versus $2,048 in Northampton, MA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Dover, DE and $79 in Northampton, MA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Northampton, MA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,593 in Dover, DE and $2,841 in Northampton, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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