Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Lowell, MA: $2,661 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $27,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
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Lowell, 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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Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,661

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lowell, 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 Lowell, MA and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,661 per month in Lowell, MA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Lowell, MA $2,661
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,253 per month in Lowell, MA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Lowell, MA $4,253
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,846 per month in Lowell, MA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Lowell, MA $5,846
New York, NY $9,509

Lowell, MA is about 46% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lowell, MA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Lowell, MA by 96%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.76 $17.76

$28.55 $28.55

-37.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$118 $118

-41.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 $9.05

$15.04 $15.04

-39.83%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$6.53 $6.53

-23.89%

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

$1.94 $1.94

$3.96 $3.96

-51.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$3.01 $3.01

-45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$8.16 $8.16

-39.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.86 $7.86

$9.84 $9.84

-20.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.37 $1.37

-38.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 $2.16

$4.97 $4.97

-56.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$7.81 $7.81

-29.83%

Eggs

$3.97 $3.97

$5.97 $5.97

-33.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 $11.51

$18.91 $18.91

-39.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 $8.64

$18.04 $18.04

-52.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.37 $17.37

$19.05 $19.05

-8.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$6.76 $6.76

-59.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$2.27 $2.27

-48.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.71 $6.71

$6.83 $6.83

-1.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$7.09 $7.09

-20.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$4.22 $4.22

-60.66%

Onion (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.65 $4.65

-4.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.87 $2.87

6.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.60 $2.60

-11.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.90 $13.90

$18.77 $18.77

-25.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 $13.27

$20.13 $20.13

-34.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.45 $3.45

-51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$4.02 $4.02

6.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.91 $2.91

-35.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.7 $55.7

$139 $139

-59.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.08 $3.08

28.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.12 $2.12

-17.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.86 $28.86

$41.96 $41.96

-31.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.17 $1.17

-23.08%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$34.5K $34.5K

-20.23%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.78%

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

$189 $189

$219 $219

-13.78%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$74.2 $74.2

-30.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$70.2 $70.2

-4.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.43 $39.43

$112 $112

-64.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.43 $12.43

$74.9 $74.9

-83.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.21 $14.21

$22.14 $22.14

-35.82%

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

$1,376 $1,376

$3,558 $3,558

-61.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K $30.1K

$62.2K $62.2K

-51.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 $56.2

$75.6 $75.6

-25.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.25 $38.25

$51.2 $51.2

-25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 $78.7

$123 $123

-36.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 $69.0

$140 $140

-50.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 $1,681

$4,499 $4,499

-62.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,446 $1,446

$3,078 $3,078

-53.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,724 $3,724

$9,447 $9,447

-60.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,169 $3,169

$5,190 $5,190

-38.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,540 $3,540

$18.1K $18.1K

-80.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,499 $3,499

$6,693 $6,693

-47.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,955 $3,955

$5,220 $5,220

-24.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.86

-11.08%

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

Last update for Lowell, MA: October 25, 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

Lowell, MA

$1.4K 54.4%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 113% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Lowell, MA

$371 13.9%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 51.9% $192

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lowell, MA

$308 11.6%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 18.2% $56

Eating Out

Lowell, MA

$284 10.7%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 55.2% $157

Clothing & Footwear

Lowell, MA

$109 4.1%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 60.9% $66

Getting Around

Lowell, MA

$76 2.9%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 116% $88

Sport & Entertainment

Lowell, MA

$68 2.6%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 130% $88

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,681 in Lowell, 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 32% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Lowell, MA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $563 – making Lowell, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

10:13 10:13 AM

Same time as Lowell, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,519

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Lowell, MA New York, NY 330 km

From you

Lowell, 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

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

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,992 per month in Lowell, 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 Lowell, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,681 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Lowell, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,376 per month in Lowell, 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,661 in Lowell, 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 Lowell, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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