Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Hempstead, NY: $1,449 a month against $3,925 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent and utilities included – about $29,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Hempstead, NY
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Hempstead, NY Living Index
191

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

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Hempstead, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,449

/mo nomad

Costa Mesa, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,925

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,449 per month in Hempstead, NY vs $3,925 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent included.

Hempstead, NY $1,449
Costa Mesa, CA $3,925

A couple spends around $2,281 per month in Hempstead, NY vs $5,545 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent included.

Hempstead, NY $2,281
Costa Mesa, CA $5,545

A family of three spends $3,114 per month in Hempstead, NY vs $7,165 in Costa Mesa, CA, rent included.

Hempstead, NY $3,114
Costa Mesa, CA $7,165

Hempstead, NY is about 63% cheaper than Costa Mesa, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hempstead, NY and Costa Mesa, CA sit above the global median – Hempstead, NY by 7%, Costa Mesa, CA by 190%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.90 $19.90

$19.84 $19.84

0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$79.6 $79.6

-7.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.86 $12.86

$14.75 $14.75

-12.81%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$5.72 $5.72

-6.12%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$3.35 $3.35

-6.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.48 $2.48

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$7.22 $7.22

-17.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.96 $7.96

$9.52 $9.52

-16.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.13 $1.13

7.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 $1.59

$4.11 $4.11

-61.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 $2.34

$4.86 $4.86

-51.85%

Eggs

$3.54 $3.54

$4.95 $4.95

-28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 $9.42

$12.83 $12.83

-26.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.32 $12.32

$19.69 $19.69

-37.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 $11.91

$21.75 $21.75

-45.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$4.85 $4.85

-41.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$2.49 $2.49

-37.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$4.31 $4.31

-59.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.63 $5.63

-8.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$4.37 $4.37

-34.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.25 $2.25

21.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.16 $2.16

11.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.93 $1.93

22.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 $11.74

$11.75 $11.75

-0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$15.19 $15.19

-1.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.98 $1.98

17.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 $4.26

$4.22 $4.22

0.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.98 $1.98

47.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 $128

$68.2 $68.2

88.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$6.18 $6.18

-57.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 $0.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.81 $23.81

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.52 $1.52

-27.63%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$29.2K $29.2K

11.04%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$27.0K $27.0K

-2.93%

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

$220 $220

$217 $217

1.33%

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

$63.3 $63.3

$68.0 $68.0

-7.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.7 $63.7

$72.3 $72.3

-12.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 $108

$39.51 $39.51

173.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 $12.15

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 $15.22

$16.68 $16.68

-8.75%

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

$2,240 $2,240

$1,185 $1,185

88.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.6K $41.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.47 $48.47

$58.6 $58.6

-17.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.29 $46.29

$47.22 $47.22

-1.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$93.3 $93.3

11.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$132 $132

6.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,775 $2,775

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 $2,436

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,204 $4,204

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,881 $3,881

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,484 $9,484

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,204 $7,204

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,994 $5,994

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.39

3.60%

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

Last update for Hempstead, NY: October 17, 2026

Last update for Costa Mesa, CA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hempstead, NY

$347 24%

Costa Mesa, CA

$358 9.1% 3% $11

Groceries & Markets

Hempstead, NY

$336 23.2%

Costa Mesa, CA

$476 12.1% 42% $141

Eating Out

Hempstead, NY

$329 22.7%

Costa Mesa, CA

$350 8.9% 6.4% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Hempstead, NY

$153 10.5%

Costa Mesa, CA

$149 3.8% 2.4% $3.6

Getting Around

Hempstead, NY

$146 10.1%

Costa Mesa, CA

$82 * 2.1% 43.5% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Hempstead, NY

$138 9.6%

Costa Mesa, CA

$73 1.9% 47.4% $66

Accommodation & Living

Hempstead, NY

- * 0%

Costa Mesa, CA

$2.4K 62.1%

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 $74.0 in Hempstead, NY versus $80.0 in Costa Mesa, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 vs $476 – making Hempstead, NY the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hempstead, NY

🇺🇸 Costa Mesa, CA

🕒 Local time

05:33 5:33 AM

02:33 2:33 AM

3 h behind Hempstead, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

793,409

109,960

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Hempstead, NY
Costa Mesa, CA

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

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

Costa Mesa, CA costs about 171% 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 $2,173 per month in Hempstead, NY and $5,887 in Costa Mesa, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $74.0 in Hempstead, NY and $80.0 in Costa Mesa, CA. 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 $1,449, than in Costa Mesa, CA at $3,925. 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 $1,449 versus $3,925 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.