Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Meridian, MS

For one person, living is cheaper in Meridian, MS: $2,675 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $26,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

234

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Meridian, MS
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Meridian, MS Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Meridian, MS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,675

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Meridian, MS

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 Meridian, MS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,906 per month in New York, NY vs $2,675 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

New York, NY $4,906
Meridian, MS $2,675

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $3,974 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Meridian, MS $3,974

A family of three spends $9,641 per month in New York, NY vs $5,273 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

New York, NY $9,641
Meridian, MS $5,273

New York, NY costs about 83% more than Meridian, MS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and Meridian, MS sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, Meridian, MS by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.93 $26.93

$26.23 $26.23

2.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 $117

$105 $105

10.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.60 $14.60

$10.38 $10.38

40.66%

Cappuccino

$6.54 $6.54

$4.08 $4.08

60.29%

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

$3.86 $3.86

$2.30 $2.30

67.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.11 $2.11

39.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 $8.08

$5.85 $5.85

38.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$8.12 $8.12

21.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$0.91 $0.91

43.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.17 $4.17

19.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$2.02 $2.02

281.19%

Eggs

$6.09 $6.09

$3.88 $3.88

56.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.55 $19.55

$15.29 $15.29

27.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.59 $17.59

$8.66 $8.66

103.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.26 $20.26

$15.37 $15.37

31.82%

Apples (1kg)

$6.99 $6.99

$2.98 $2.98

134.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.07 $1.07

106.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.72 $6.72

$2.79 $2.79

140.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.35 $4.35

63.68%

Potato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.98 $1.98

132.83%

Onion (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$3.15 $3.15

51.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.12 $2.12

35.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.66 $2.66

1.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.14 $19.14

$8.95 $8.95

113.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.63 $19.63

$16.60 $16.60

18.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.58 $2.58

28.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.91 $3.91

7.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.10 $2.10

43.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$53.5 $53.5

160.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.58 $3.58

-15.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.45 $1.45

51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$34.67 $34.67

19.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.92 $0.92

22.83%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$33.4K $33.4K

3.02%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.58%

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

$232 $232

$264 $264

-11.91%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$71.3 $71.3

-0.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$74.3 $74.3

-8.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$115 $115

$42.32 $42.32

172.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.8 $76.8

Cinema Ticket

$22.41 $22.41

$12.52 $12.52

78.99%

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

$3,606 $3,606

$596 $596

504.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$68.7K $68.7K

$24.1K $24.1K

185.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 $79.3

$56.4 $56.4

40.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$42.70 $42.70

20.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$87.9 $87.9

37.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$119 $119

17.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,555 $4,555

$1,554 $1,554

193.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,040 $3,040

$1,264 $1,264

140.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,742 $9,742

$2,579 $2,579

277.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,331 $5,331

$2,112 $2,112

152.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$2,858 $2,858

537.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,685 $6,685

$2,681 $2,681

149.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,096 $5,096

$4,203 $4,203

21.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.73

2.38%

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

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Last update for Meridian, MS: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3K 62%

Meridian, MS

$1.3K 47.3% 58.4% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$567 11.6%

Meridian, MS

$370 13.9% 34.7% $197

Eating Out

New York, NY

$425 8.7%

Meridian, MS

$353 13.2% 17% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$371 7.6%

Meridian, MS

$409 15.3% 10.3% $38

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$176 3.6%

Meridian, MS

$138 5.2% 21.9% $39

Getting Around

New York, NY

$165 3.4%

Meridian, MS

$73 2.7% 56% $93

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$160 3.3%

Meridian, MS

$67 2.5% 58% $93

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,555 in New York, NY versus $1,554 in Meridian, MS. 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 21% 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 $117 in New York, NY versus $105 in Meridian, MS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $567 vs $370 – making Meridian, MS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Meridian, MS

🕒 Local time

18:20 6:20 PM

17:20 5:20 PM

1 h behind New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

38,200

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

New York, NY Meridian, MS 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Meridian, MS

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 Meridian, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 83%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,358 per month in New York, NY and $4,012 in Meridian, MS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meridian, MS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,554 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $117 in New York, NY and $105 in Meridian, MS. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,906 in New York, NY and $2,675 in Meridian, MS. That makes Meridian, MS about 45% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,906 in New York, NY and $2,675 in Meridian, MS. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Meridian, MS – 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 Meridian, MS. 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.