Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Meridian, MS and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Meridian, MS: $2,675 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $26,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Meridian, MS
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Meridian, MS Living Index
234

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Meridian, MS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,675

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,675 per month in Meridian, MS vs $4,906 in New York, NY, rent included.

Meridian, MS $2,675
New York, NY $4,906

A couple spends around $3,974 per month in Meridian, MS vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

Meridian, MS $3,974
New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $5,273 per month in Meridian, MS vs $9,641 in New York, NY, rent included.

Meridian, MS $5,273
New York, NY $9,641

Meridian, MS is about 45% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Meridian, MS and New York, NY sit above the global median – Meridian, MS by 98%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.23 $26.23

$26.93 $26.93

-2.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 $105

$117 $117

-9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 $10.38

$14.60 $14.60

-28.90%

Cappuccino

$4.08 $4.08

$6.54 $6.54

-37.61%

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

$2.30 $2.30

$3.86 $3.86

-40.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.95 $2.95

-28.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$8.08 $8.08

-27.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 $8.12

$9.85 $9.85

-17.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.31 $1.31

-30.53%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 $4.17

$4.97 $4.97

-16.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$7.70 $7.70

-73.77%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$6.09 $6.09

-36.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.29 $15.29

$19.55 $19.55

-21.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$17.59 $17.59

-50.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.37 $15.37

$20.26 $20.26

-24.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$6.99 $6.99

-57.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.21 $2.21

-51.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$6.72 $6.72

-58.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$7.12 $7.12

-38.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$4.61 $4.61

-57.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.78 $4.78

-34.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.87 $2.87

-26.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.69 $2.69

-1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.95 $8.95

$19.14 $19.14

-53.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.60 $16.60

$19.63 $19.63

-15.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.32 $3.32

-22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$4.19 $4.19

-6.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.02 $3.02

-30.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 $53.5

$139 $139

-61.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$3.04 $3.04

17.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.20 $2.20

-34.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.67 $34.67

$41.33 $41.33

-16.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.13 $1.13

-18.58%

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

$33.4K $33.4K

$34.5K $34.5K

-2.93%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.8K $25.8K

3.71%

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

$264 $264

$232 $232

13.52%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$71.0 $71.0

0.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$67.7 $67.7

9.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.32 $42.32

$115 $115

-63.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$12.52 $12.52

$22.41 $22.41

-44.13%

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

$596 $596

$3,606 $3,606

-83.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$68.7K $68.7K

-64.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 $56.4

$79.3 $79.3

-28.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.70 $42.70

$51.4 $51.4

-16.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$121 $121

-27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$140 $140

-15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 $1,554

$4,555 $4,555

-65.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 $1,264

$3,040 $3,040

-58.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$9,742 $9,742

-73.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 $2,112

$5,331 $5,331

-60.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,858 $2,858

$18.2K $18.2K

-84.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,681 $2,681

$6,685 $6,685

-59.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,203 $4,203

$5,096 $5,096

-17.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

6.89

-2.32%

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

Last update for Meridian, MS: November 3, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Meridian, MS

$1.3K 47.3%

New York, NY

$3K 62% 141% $1.8K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Meridian, MS

$409 15.3%

New York, NY

$371 7.6% 9.4% $38

Groceries & Markets

Meridian, MS

$370 13.9%

New York, NY

$567 11.6% 53.1% $197

Eating Out

Meridian, MS

$353 13.2%

New York, NY

$425 8.7% 20.4% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Meridian, MS

$138 5.2%

New York, NY

$176 3.6% 28.1% $39

Getting Around

Meridian, MS

$73 2.7%

New York, NY

$165 3.4% 128% $93

Sport & Entertainment

Meridian, MS

$67 2.5%

New York, NY

$160 3.3% 138% $93

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,554 in Meridian, MS versus $4,555 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 21% 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 $105 in Meridian, MS versus $117 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $567 – making Meridian, MS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Meridian, MS

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

20:18 8:18 PM

21:18 9:18 PM

1 h ahead of Meridian, MS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

38,200

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Meridian, MS New York, NY 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Meridian, MS
New York, 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

Meridian, MS vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 83%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,012 per month in Meridian, MS and $7,358 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 Meridian, MS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,554 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $105 in Meridian, MS and $117 in New York, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,675 in Meridian, MS and $4,906 in New York, NY. That makes Meridian, MS about 45% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,675 in Meridian, MS and $4,906 in New York, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Meridian, MS – 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 Meridian, MS. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.