Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Salisbury Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Salisbury

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,658 per month in Lowell, MA vs $2,524 in Salisbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,230 per month in Lowell, MA vs $3,479 in Salisbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,802 per month in Lowell, MA vs $4,435 in Salisbury, rent included.

Lowell, MA costs about 5% more than Salisbury, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lowell, MA and Salisbury sit above the global median – Lowell, MA by 97%, Salisbury by 87%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.12 $19.12

$22.93 £16.99

-16.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$92.0 £68.2

-12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 $8.88

$9.24 £6.85

-3.90%

Cappuccino

$4.48 $4.48

$4.56 £3.38

-1.75%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$2.22 £1.64

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.73 £1.29

-4.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$5.99 £4.44

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.66 $7.66

$6.02 £4.46

27.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.64 £1.22

-46.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.12 £0.83

91.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.88 £2.14

8.33%

Eggs

$3.90 $3.90

$3.04 £2.25

28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 $10.64

$8.52 £6.31

24.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.87 $8.87

$7.18 £5.32

23.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.05 $21.05

$15.38 £11.40

36.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.85 £1.37

50.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.31 £0.97

-11.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.85 $5.85

$2.92 £2.17

100.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$4.79 £3.55

20.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.24 £0.92

29.03%

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.20 £0.89

261.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.93 £0.69

226.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.09 £0.81

100.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 $11.19

$16.08 £11.92

-30.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$10.06 £7.46

48.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.98 £1.47

-10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.80 £1.33

7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 $1.84

$5.51 £4.08

-66.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 $55.0

$111 £82.5

-50.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 $3.98

$4.71 £3.49

-15.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.52 £1.13

17.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.64 $28.64

$16.27 £12.05

76.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.91 £1.41

-52.88%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$27.2K £20.1K

10.45%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$33.9K £25.1K

-23.61%

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

$185 $185

$390 £289

-52.53%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$15.60 £11.56

237.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 $65.2

$40.93 £30.33

59.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.05 $40.05

$68.8 £51.0

-41.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 £8.96

Cinema Ticket

$14.17 $14.17

$9.42 £6.98

50.42%

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

$1,390 $1,390

$1,291 £957

7.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$18.6K £13.8K

27.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$71.1 £52.7

-27.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 $33.08

$20.42 £15.13

62.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 $65.0

$90.0 £66.7

-27.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 $68.8

$115 £85.2

-40.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 $1,628

$1,241 £920

31.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 $1,463

$1,138 £843

28.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,759 $3,759

$2,073 £1,536

81.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,167 $3,167

$1,491 £1,105

112.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,517 $3,517

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,832 £3,580

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,931 $3,931

$3,681 £2,728

6.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.77

11.79%

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

Last update for Lowell, MA: April 11, 2026

Last update for Salisbury: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lowell, MA versus $1,241 in Salisbury. 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 7% higher in Lowell, MA, 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 $81 in Lowell, MA versus $92 in Salisbury. Groceries tell a different story – $366 in Lowell, MA vs $268 in Salisbury – so Salisbury wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Salisbury: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lowell, MA is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,987 per month in Lowell, MA and $3,786 in Salisbury. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salisbury, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 102% less in Salisbury. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,390 per month in Lowell, MA and $1,291 in Salisbury. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Salisbury, where all-in costs run around $2,524, than in Lowell, MA at $2,658. In Salisbury it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lowell, MA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Salisbury. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lowell, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.