Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Memphis, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Memphis, TN: $2,501 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $29,400 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
122

Cost of Living Index in Memphis, TN
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Memphis, TN Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,501

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Memphis, TN

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 Memphis, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,950 per month in New York, NY vs $2,501 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

New York, NY $4,950
Memphis, TN $2,501

A couple spends around $7,265 per month in New York, NY vs $3,673 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

New York, NY $7,265
Memphis, TN $3,673

A family of three spends $9,581 per month in New York, NY vs $4,844 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

New York, NY $9,581
Memphis, TN $4,844

New York, NY costs about 98% more than Memphis, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Memphis, TN sit above the global median – New York, NY by 267%, Memphis, TN by 85%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$17.99 $17.99

37.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$74.5 $74.5

63.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 $13.91

$12.16 $12.16

14.39%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$5.68 $5.68

16.02%

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

$3.84 $3.84

$2.40 $2.40

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.99 $1.99

44.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$7.12 $7.12

9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$8.03 $8.03

22.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.94 $0.94

46.81%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$3.15 $3.15

48.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$3.96 $3.96

90.40%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$3.77 $3.77

57.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$13.18 $13.18

42.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$11.45 $11.45

51.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$18.84 $18.84

-1.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.67 $5.67

18.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.71 $1.71

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.71 $5.71

6.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.98 $4.98

35.34%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.14 $3.14

28.98%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.17 $4.17

4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.64 $2.64

9.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.16 $2.16

20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 $18.72

$10.87 $10.87

72.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 $20.06

$12.94 $12.94

55.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.76 $1.76

84.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.60 $1.60

133.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.02 $1.02

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$38.55 $38.55

264.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.02 $2.02

50.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.41 $1.41

52.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.82 $41.82

$20.36 $20.36

105.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.02 $1.02

9.80%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$37.3K $37.3K

-5.08%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$27.1K $27.1K

-3.87%

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

$219 $219

$187 $187

17.02%

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

$73.2 $73.2

$86.3 $86.3

-15.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$75.8 $75.8

-5.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

$31.47 $31.47

289.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.7 $67.7

$16.62 $16.62

307.16%

Cinema Ticket

$22.85 $22.85

$14.76 $14.76

54.81%

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

$3,333 $3,333

$1,720 $1,720

93.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.0K $60.0K

$24.8K $24.8K

141.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$47.08 $47.08

59.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$33.58 $33.58

56.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$82.2 $82.2

47.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$156 $156

-14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,389 $4,389

$1,448 $1,448

203.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,130 $3,130

$1,175 $1,175

166.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,918 $8,918

$2,073 $2,073

330.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,354 $5,354

$1,900 $1,900

181.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K $19.4K

$1,755 $1,755

1005.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,806 $6,806

$1,351 $1,351

403.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,343 $5,343

$3,523 $3,523

51.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.6

3.33%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2%

Memphis, TN

$1.2K 47% 62.5% $2K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$545 11%

Memphis, TN

$404 16.1% 25.9% $141

Eating Out

New York, NY

$404 8.2%

Memphis, TN

$318 12.7% 21.3% $86

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Memphis, TN

$349 14% 4.1% $15

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$172 3.5%

Memphis, TN

$143 5.7% 16.7% $29

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Memphis, TN

$61 2.4% 63.8% $107

Getting Around

New York, NY

$167 3.4%

Memphis, TN

$52 2.1% 68.9% $115

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,389 in New York, NY versus $1,448 in Memphis, TN. 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 52% 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 $122 in New York, NY versus $74.0 in Memphis, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $545 vs $404 – making Memphis, TN the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Memphis, TN

🕒 Local time

19:42 7:42 PM

18:42 6:42 PM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

633,104

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Memphis, TN 1,520 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Memphis, TN

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 Memphis, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,950 in New York, NY, $2,501 in Memphis, TN – roughly 98% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,424 per month in New York, NY and $3,752 in Memphis, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Memphis, TN, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 264% less in Memphis, TN. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $3,333 per month in New York, NY and $1,720 in Memphis, TN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,950 in New York, NY and $2,501 in Memphis, TN. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. New York, NY has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,501 in Memphis, TN to $4,950 in New York, NY. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Memphis, TN. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.