Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Medford, MA: $3,087 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $22,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

149

Cost of Living Index in Medford, MA
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Medford, 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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Medford, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,087

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,087 per month in Medford, MA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Medford, MA $3,087
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,233 per month in Medford, MA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Medford, MA $4,233
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $5,378 per month in Medford, MA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Medford, MA $5,378
New York, NY $9,509

Medford, MA is about 38% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medford, MA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Medford, MA by 127%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.23 $18.23

$28.55 $28.55

-36.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.9 $95.9

$118 $118

-19.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 $12.15

$15.04 $15.04

-19.22%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$6.53 $6.53

-15.77%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$3.96 $3.96

-25.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.01 $3.01

-16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$8.16 $8.16

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.73 $8.73

$9.84 $9.84

-11.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.37 $1.37

-21.17%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.97 $4.97

-19.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$7.81 $7.81

-31.50%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$5.97 $5.97

-20.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.48 $11.48

$18.91 $18.91

-39.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.58 $14.58

$18.04 $18.04

-19.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.81 $17.81

$19.05 $19.05

-6.51%

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$6.76 $6.76

-2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.27 $2.27

-20.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.83 $6.83

-21.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$7.09 $7.09

-21.86%

Potato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$4.22 $4.22

5.92%

Onion (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$4.65 $4.65

-10.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.87 $2.87

4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.60 $2.60

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.10 $13.10

$18.77 $18.77

-30.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 $13.47

$20.13 $20.13

-33.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.45 $3.45

-39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$4.02 $4.02

6.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.91 $2.91

-18.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 $60.0

$139 $139

-56.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 $2.63

$3.08 $3.08

-14.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.12 $2.12

-16.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.34 $28.34

$41.96 $41.96

-32.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.17 $1.17

-8.55%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$34.5K $34.5K

-19.32%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.29%

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

$246 $246

$219 $219

11.90%

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

$54.9 $54.9

$74.2 $74.2

-26.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$70.2 $70.2

21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 $41.33

$112 $112

-63.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$14.19 $14.19

$22.14 $22.14

-35.91%

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

$1,839 $1,839

$3,558 $3,558

-48.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K $30.1K

$62.2K $62.2K

-51.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$75.6 $75.6

-23.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.42 $38.42

$51.2 $51.2

-24.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 $79.3

$123 $123

-35.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 $99.8

$140 $140

-28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$4,499 $4,499

-64.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,639 $1,639

$3,078 $3,078

-46.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,510 $2,510

$9,447 $9,447

-73.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$5,190 $5,190

-58.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,745 $2,745

$18.1K $18.1K

-84.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,408 $2,408

$6,693 $6,693

-64.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.86

-3.21%

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

Last update for Medford, MA: October 24, 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

Medford, MA

$1.6K 53.1%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 87.8% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Medford, MA

$461 14.9%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 22.2% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medford, MA

$386 12.5%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 5.7% $22

Eating Out

Medford, MA

$327 10.6%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 34.6% $113

Clothing & Footwear

Medford, MA

$124 4%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 41.5% $51

Getting Around

Medford, MA

$81 2.6%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 103% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Medford, MA

$70 2.3%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 124% $87

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,600 in Medford, 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96 in Medford, MA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 vs $563 – making Medford, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Medford, MA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

14:50 2:50 PM

Same time as Medford, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,173

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Medford, MA New York, NY 320 km

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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

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

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,631 per month in Medford, 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 Medford, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,600 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,087 in Medford, MA and $4,941 in New York, NY. That’s a gap of about 60%.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Medford, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,087 in Medford, 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 Medford, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Medford, MA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 60% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.