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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,607 in New York, NY versus $4,426 in Cambridge, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,137 in New York, NY versus $5,677 in Cambridge, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,667 in New York, NY versus $6,927 in Cambridge, MA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 4% more expensive than in Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 236% above, Cambridge, MA 223% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$20.21 $20.21

22.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$139 $139

$101 $101

37.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 $12.74

$13.02 $13.02

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$6.27 $6.27

$5.24 $5.24

19.66%

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

$3.73 $3.73

$2.90 $2.90

28.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.37 $2.37

24.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.10 $8.10

$8.21 $8.21

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.18 $10.18

$8.23 $8.23

23.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.08 $1.08

26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.56 $4.56

$4.26 $4.26

7.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$5.98 $5.98

10.70%

Eggs

$5.75 $5.75

$4.97 $4.97

15.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.18 $16.18

$15.13 $15.13

6.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.60 $14.60

$13.96 $13.96

4.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.50 $17.50

$18.99 $18.99

-7.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$7.01 $7.01

-16.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.33 $1.33

62.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$5.58 $5.58

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$6.51 $6.51

-5.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.50 $2.50

34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.33 $3.33

21.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.91 $1.91

42.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.79 $2.79

-12.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.76 $18.76

$12.67 $12.67

48.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.79 $19.79

$15.69 $15.69

26.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.83 $1.83

70.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.44 $5.44

-25.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.41 $2.41

28.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 $142

$90.1 $90.1

57.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.66 $2.66

15.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.78 $1.78

24.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.81 $41.81

$28.10 $28.10

48.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.03 $1.03

3.88%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

-1.45%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.3K $25.3K

1.04%

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

$232 $232

$179 $179

29.48%

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

$73.0 $73.0

$43.14 $43.14

69.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$52.9 $52.9

44.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$73.6 $73.6

62.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.7 $61.7

$29.78 $29.78

107.19%

Cinema Ticket

$22.58 $22.58

$14.90 $14.90

51.54%

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

$3,415 $3,415

$2,898 $2,898

17.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.8K $60.8K

$36.0K $36.0K

68.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 $71.4

$79.6 $79.6

-10.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 $52.3

$50.6 $50.6

3.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$102 $102

12.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 $125

$139 $139

-10.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,270 $4,270

$3,424 $3,424

24.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,851 $2,851

0.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,755 $8,755

$5,354 $5,354

63.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,244 $5,244

$3,491 $3,491

50.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.0K $19.0K

$4,997 $4,997

280.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,412 $6,412

$4,931 $4,931

30.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,283 $5,283

$6,179 $6,179

-14.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

6.05

5.95%

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

Last update for New York, NY: August 18, 2026

Last update for Cambridge, MA: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,270 in New York, NY and $3,424 in Cambridge, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $139 in New York, NY vs $101 in Cambridge, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $501 vs $474 per month, with Cambridge, 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 Cambridge, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge, MA wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cambridge, MA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Cambridge, MA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $4,270 in New York, NY versus $3,424 in Cambridge, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge, MA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $139 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

Both work as nomad bases, but Cambridge, MA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $4,426 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cambridge, MA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, New York, NY and Cambridge, MA 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 Cambridge, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.