Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and South Portland, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in South Portland, ME: $3,045 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $22,800 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
148

Cost of Living Index in South Portland, ME
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South Portland, ME Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

South Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,045

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in South Portland, ME

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 South Portland, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,941 per month in New York, NY vs $3,045 in South Portland, ME, rent included.

New York, NY $4,941
South Portland, ME $3,045

A couple spends around $7,225 per month in New York, NY vs $4,568 in South Portland, ME, rent included.

New York, NY $7,225
South Portland, ME $4,568

A family of three spends $9,509 per month in New York, NY vs $6,091 in South Portland, ME, rent included.

New York, NY $9,509
South Portland, ME $6,091

New York, NY costs about 62% more than South Portland, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both New York, NY and South Portland, ME sit above the global median – New York, NY by 263%, South Portland, ME by 124%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$24.94 $24.94

14.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$14.71 $14.71

2.24%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$5.35 $5.35

22.06%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$3.09 $3.09

28.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.37 $2.37

27.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$7.81 $7.81

4.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$7.95 $7.95

23.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.07 $1.07

28.04%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.38 $4.38

13.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$6.96 $6.96

12.21%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$4.03 $4.03

48.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$15.36 $15.36

23.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$10.35 $10.35

74.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$15.97 $15.97

19.29%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.77 $4.77

41.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.65 $1.65

37.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$5.52 $5.52

23.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$7.61 $7.61

-6.83%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$4.38 $4.38

-3.65%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.78 $3.78

23.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.93 $2.93

-2.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.59 $2.59

0.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$12.31 $12.31

52.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$15.08 $15.08

33.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.90 $1.90

81.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.60 $2.60

54.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.91 $1.91

52.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$51.3 $51.3

170.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.05 $2.05

50.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.58 $1.58

34.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$10.94 $10.94

283.55%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

25.42%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.26%

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

$219 $219

$239 $239

-8.13%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$68.3 $68.3

8.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$78.6 $78.6

-10.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$40.18 $40.18

178.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

$29.61 $29.61

152.82%

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$14.95 $14.95

48.09%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$401 $401

787.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$15.1K $15.1K

310.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$51.9 $51.9

45.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

-0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$103 $103

19.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$131 $131

6.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$1,972 $1,972

128.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,537 $1,537

100.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$3,166 $3,166

198.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$2,605 $2,605

99.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$2,784 $2,784

550.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$2,332 $2,332

187.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$4,169 $4,169

25.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.65

3.16%

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 South Portland, ME: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

South Portland, ME

$1.5K 50.5% 50.1% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

South Portland, ME

$446 14.7% 20.7% $117

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

South Portland, ME

$385 12.6% 12.6% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

South Portland, ME

$386 12.7% 6% $22

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

South Portland, ME

$152 5% 13.4% $24

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

South Portland, ME

$69 2.3% 58.1% $95

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

South Portland, ME

$70 2.3% 55.1% $86

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,972 in South Portland, ME. 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 25% 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 $118 in South Portland, ME. Groceries tell a different story – $563 in New York, NY vs $446 in South Portland, ME – so South Portland, ME wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 South Portland, ME

🕒 Local time

10:11 10:11 AM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

26,498

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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New York, NY South Portland, ME 470 km

From you

New York, NY
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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 South Portland, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 62% more than South Portland, ME, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,412 per month in New York, NY and $4,567 in South Portland, ME. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in South Portland, ME, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,972 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $4,941 in New York, NY and $3,045 in South Portland, ME. That’s a gap of about 62%.

Kindergarten costs $3,558 per month in New York, NY and $401 in South Portland, ME. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,941 in New York, NY and $3,045 in South Portland, ME. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward South Portland, ME – 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 South Portland, ME. 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.