Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Malden, MA: $3,435 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
167

Cost of Living Index in Malden, MA
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Malden, MA Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Malden, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,435

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Malden, MA

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

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $3,435 in Malden, MA, rent included.

New York, NY $4,941
Malden, MA $3,435

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $4,750 in Malden, MA, rent included.

New York, NY $7,225
Malden, MA $4,750

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $6,065 in Malden, MA, rent included.

New York, NY $9,509
Malden, MA $6,065

New York, NY costs about 44% more than Malden, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Malden, MA sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Malden, MA by 152%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$19.65 $19.65

45.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$95.0 $95.0

24.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$13.72 $13.72

9.62%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$5.31 $5.31

22.98%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.97 $2.97

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.23 $2.23

34.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$5.68 $5.68

43.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$8.10 $8.10

21.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.25 $1.25

9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.90 $3.90

27.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$5.49 $5.49

42.26%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$4.77 $4.77

25.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$12.32 $12.32

53.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$14.03 $14.03

28.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$17.57 $17.57

8.42%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$6.63 $6.63

1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.72 $1.72

31.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$5.52 $5.52

23.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$5.50 $5.50

28.91%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.42 $4.42

-4.52%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$1.89 $1.89

146.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.59 $2.59

10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.23 $2.23

16.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$13.06 $13.06

43.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$13.43 $13.43

49.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.17 $2.17

58.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$4.40 $4.40

-8.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.55 $2.55

14.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$88.3 $88.3

57.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.53 $2.53

21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.79 $1.79

18.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$27.47 $27.47

52.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.09 $1.09

7.34%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.9K $27.9K

23.43%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.33%

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

$219 $219

$247 $247

-11.07%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$54.2 $54.2

36.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$86.1 $86.1

-18.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$34.66 $34.66

222.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$15.85 $15.85

39.68%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,848 $1,848

92.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$29.4K $29.4K

111.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$56.0 $56.0

35.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$37.57 $37.57

36.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$79.5 $79.5

54.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$99.9 $99.9

39.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$2,422 $2,422

85.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,975 $1,975

55.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$3,534 $3,534

167.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$2,834 $2,834

83.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$4,644 $4,644

12.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.64

3.31%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Malden, MA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Malden, MA

$2K 57.5% 35.9% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Malden, MA

$446 13% 20.8% $117

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Malden, MA

$327 9.5% 25.6% $113

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Malden, MA

$387 11.3% 6.4% $23

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Malden, MA

$123 3.6% 30% $53

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Malden, MA

$110 3.2% 33.1% $54

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Malden, MA

$66 1.9% 57.5% $90

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $2,422 in Malden, MA. 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 12% 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 $118 in New York, NY versus $95 in Malden, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $563 vs $446 – making Malden, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Malden, MA

🕒 Local time

09:37 9:37 AM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

59,450

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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New York, NY Malden, MA 330 km

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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

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

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $5,152 in Malden, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malden, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,422 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Malden, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $1,848 in Malden, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,941 in New York, NY and $3,435 in Malden, MA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Malden, MA – 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 Malden, MA. 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.