Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Memphis, TN and Hempstead, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Hempstead, NY: $1,448 a month against $2,501 in Memphis, TN, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Memphis, TN outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

122

Cost of Living Index in Memphis, TN
Learn more

Memphis, TN Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Hempstead, NY
Learn more

Hempstead, NY Living Index

Jump to prices

Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,501

/mo nomad

Hempstead, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,448

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Memphis, TN and in Hempstead, NY

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,501 in Memphis, TN versus $1,448 in Hempstead, NY.

Memphis, TN $2,501
Hempstead, NY $1,448

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,673 in Memphis, TN versus $2,288 in Hempstead, NY.

Memphis, TN $3,673
Hempstead, NY $2,288

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,844 in Memphis, TN versus $3,128 in Hempstead, NY.

Memphis, TN $4,844
Hempstead, NY $3,128

Living in Memphis, TN is roughly 73% more expensive than in Hempstead, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Memphis, TN 85% above, Hempstead, NY 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 $17.99

$19.85 $19.85

-9.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 $74.5

$75.6 $75.6

-1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.16 $12.16

$12.71 $12.71

-4.33%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$5.17 $5.17

9.86%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$3.10 $3.10

-22.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.22 $2.22

-10.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 $7.12

$5.84 $5.84

21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$8.15 $8.15

-1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.20 $1.20

-21.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.61 $1.61

95.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.42 $2.42

63.64%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$3.57 $3.57

5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$9.59 $9.59

37.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$12.26 $12.26

-6.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.84 $18.84

$12.26 $12.26

53.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$2.89 $2.89

96.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.61 $1.61

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$1.81 $1.81

215.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.33 $5.33

-6.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.71 $2.71

15.87%

Onion (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.59 $2.59

61.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.49 $2.49

6.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.49 $2.49

-13.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 $10.87

$13.17 $13.17

-17.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.94 $12.94

$14.78 $14.78

-12.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.41 $2.41

-26.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$4.34 $4.34

-63.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.97 $2.97

-65.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.55 $38.55

$131 $131

-70.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.65 $2.65

-23.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.60 $0.60

135.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.36 $20.36

$23.84 $23.84

-14.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.10 $1.10

-7.27%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

4.44%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

4.20%

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

$187 $187

$214 $214

-12.66%

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

$86.3 $86.3

$63.2 $63.2

36.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$64.8 $64.8

16.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.47 $31.47

$108 $108

-70.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 $16.62

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$15.40 $15.40

-4.16%

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

$1,720 $1,720

$2,215 $2,215

-22.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K $24.8K

$42.3K $42.3K

-41.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.08 $47.08

$49.24 $49.24

-4.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.58 $33.58

$46.66 $46.66

-28.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 $82.2

$103 $103

-19.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$141 $141

10.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,448 $1,448

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 $1,175

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,073 $2,073

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,900 $1,900

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,755 $1,755

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,351 $1,351

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,523 $3,523

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.62

-0.30%

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

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 11, 2026

Last update for Hempstead, NY: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Memphis, TN

$1.2K 47%

Hempstead, NY

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Memphis, TN

$404 16.1%

Hempstead, NY

$340 23.5% 15.7% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Memphis, TN

$349 14%

Hempstead, NY

$342 23.6% 2% $6.9

Eating Out

Memphis, TN

$318 12.7%

Hempstead, NY

$326 22.5% 2.5% $8.1

Clothing & Footwear

Memphis, TN

$143 5.7%

Hempstead, NY

$153 10.6% 6.8% $9.7

Sport & Entertainment

Memphis, TN

$61 2.4%

Hempstead, NY

$139 9.6% 128% $78

Getting Around

Memphis, TN

$52 2.1%

Hempstead, NY

$148 10.2% 186% $96

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $74.0 in Memphis, TN vs $76.0 in Hempstead, NY. Groceries flip the comparison at $404 vs $340, with Hempstead, NY cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 Hempstead, NY

🕒 Local time

17:57 5:57 PM

18:57 6:57 PM

1 h ahead of Memphis, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

633,104

793,409

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Memphis, TN Hempstead, NY 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Memphis, TN
Hempstead, NY

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

Memphis, TN vs Hempstead, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Memphis, TN and Hempstead, NY differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($2,501 vs $1,448 including rent). Hempstead, NY is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,752 in Memphis, TN and $2,173 in Hempstead, NY to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Memphis, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Hempstead, NY – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $74.0 in Memphis, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,448 in Hempstead, NY versus $2,501 in Memphis, TN, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hempstead, NY but tight or insufficient in Memphis, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Hempstead, NY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Memphis, TN and Hempstead, NY are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hempstead, NY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Memphis, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.