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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $2,442 in Barnstable, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,016 in New York, NY versus $3,554 in Barnstable, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,593 in New York, NY versus $4,666 in Barnstable, MA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 82% more expensive than Barnstable, MA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 231% above, Barnstable, MA 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.91 $29.91

$20.40 $20.40

46.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 $144

$65.2 $65.2

120.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$9.83 $9.83

25.33%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$4.10 $4.10

47.07%

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

$3.39 $3.39

$2.05 $2.05

65.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.74 $1.74

47.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.20 $8.20

$5.03 $5.03

63.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.95 $11.95

$6.66 $6.66

79.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.96 $0.96

60.42%

White Bread (500g)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.90 $2.90

77.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$4.23 $4.23

99.29%

Eggs

$6.97 $6.97

$3.82 $3.82

82.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.28 $17.28

$6.70 $6.70

157.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.24 $16.24

$8.97 $8.97

81.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.95 $19.95

$8.77 $8.77

127.48%

Apples (1kg)

$7.45 $7.45

$3.86 $3.86

93.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.45 $1.45

66.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$3.75 $3.75

56.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.31 $6.31

$3.61 $3.61

74.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.12 $2.12

75.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.21 $2.21

80.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.94 $1.94

64.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.67 $1.67

52.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.09 $19.09

$12.02 $12.02

58.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.24 $20.24

$12.85 $12.85

57.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.76 $1.76

69.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 $3.87

$3.33 $3.33

16.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.05 $2.05

43.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 $131

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.94 $2.94

74.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.76 $1.76

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.64 $42.64

$29.58 $29.58

44.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.86 $0.86

10.47%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$34.9K $34.9K

-1.07%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$24.4K $24.4K

15.78%

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

$182 $182

$100 $100

81.20%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$52.5 $52.5

14.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 $61.9

$66.4 $66.4

-6.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$140 $140

$43.29 $43.29

223.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.4 $64.4

Cinema Ticket

$20.33 $20.33

$14.10 $14.10

44.18%

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

$3,222 $3,222

$1,743 $1,743

84.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$56.2K $56.2K

$30.0K $30.0K

87.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 $65.9

$47.53 $47.53

38.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.20 $47.20

$34.57 $34.57

36.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$87.3 $87.3

27.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$157 $157

10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,208 $4,208

$1,576 $1,576

167.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$1,366 $1,366

93.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,415 $8,415

$2,642 $2,642

218.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,170 $5,170

$2,186 $2,186

136.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.1K $20.1K

$2,984 $2,984

573.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,742 $8,742

$2,448 $2,448

257.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,144 $5,144

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.6

-2.42%

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

Last update for New York, NY: April 20, 2026

Last update for Barnstable, MA: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,208 in New York, NY and $1,576 in Barnstable, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $144 in New York, NY vs $65 in Barnstable, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $303 per month, with Barnstable, MA cheaper across the board.

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

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

New York, NY and Barnstable, MA differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($4,438 vs $2,442 including rent). Barnstable, MA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $6,657 in New York, NY and $3,663 in Barnstable, MA 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,208 in New York, NY versus $1,576 in Barnstable, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $4,438 per month in New York, NY versus $2,442 in Barnstable, MA – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Barnstable, MA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Expats usually find Barnstable, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.