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: $4,458 in New York, NY versus $4,398 in Cambridge, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,020 in New York, NY versus $5,738 in Cambridge, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,582 in New York, NY versus $7,078 in Cambridge, MA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 1% more expensive than Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 232% above, Cambridge, MA 227% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.87 $29.87

$16.84 $16.84

77.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 $148

$98.3 $98.3

50.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 $12.37

$12.15 $12.15

1.81%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$5.54 $5.54

9.57%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.00 $3.00

7.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.45 $2.45

8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.99 $7.99

-1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.19 $12.19

$7.83 $7.83

55.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.13 $1.13

37.17%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.91 $3.91

31.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.65 $6.65

22.71%

Eggs

$6.96 $6.96

$4.82 $4.82

44.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.53 $17.53

$15.20 $15.20

15.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$13.37 $13.37

21.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.40 $20.40

$20.90 $20.90

-2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$7.60 $7.60

$6.69 $6.69

13.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.85 $1.85

32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$6.31 $6.31

-10.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$6.26 $6.26

3.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.35 $3.35

11.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.53 $3.53

13.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.49 $2.49

26.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.61 $2.61

-6.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.92 $18.92

$13.61 $13.61

39.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.27 $20.27

$16.20 $16.20

25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.74 $1.74

65.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$5.46 $5.46

-28.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.47 $2.47

17.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$132 $132

$91.0 $91.0

45.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.63 $2.63

93.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.70 $1.70

28.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.50 $42.50

$28.06 $28.06

51.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.85 $0.85

11.76%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$29.5K $29.5K

20.39%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$25.1K $25.1K

12.96%

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

$181 $181

$161 $161

11.91%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$52.2 $52.2

14.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$56.8 $56.8

12.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$141 $141

$99.0 $99.0

42.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.9 $64.9

$30.42 $30.42

113.21%

Cinema Ticket

$19.92 $19.92

$15.42 $15.42

29.18%

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

$3,208 $3,208

$2,823 $2,823

13.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$57.8K $57.8K

$27.1K $27.1K

113.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 $68.3

$66.4 $66.4

2.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.77 $48.77

$45.47 $45.47

7.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$103 $103

9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 $172

$149 $149

15.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,213 $4,213

$2,835 $2,835

48.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,706 $2,706

$2,827 $2,827

-4.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,515 $8,515

$5,039 $5,039

69.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,231 $5,231

$3,500 $3,500

49.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.9K $17.9K

$4,924 $4,924

263.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,389 $6,389

$5,081 $5,081

25.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,445 $5,445

$6,226 $6,226

-12.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.43

0.16%

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

Last update for New York, NY: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cambridge, MA: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,213 in New York, NY and $2,835 in Cambridge, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cambridge, MA pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $148 in New York, NY vs $98.0 in Cambridge, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $483 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 1% 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, Cambridge, MA earns 14% less. 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: $4,213 in New York, NY versus $2,835 in Cambridge, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $98.0 versus $148 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 $4,398 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 1% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.