Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newark, DE and Ann Arbor, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Newark, DE: $2,598 a month against $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in Ann Arbor, MI despite lower rent and utilities.

125

Cost of Living Index in Newark, DE
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Newark, DE Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Ann Arbor, MI
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Ann Arbor, MI Living Index

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Newark, DE

🇺🇸 United States

$2,598

/mo nomad

Ann Arbor, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,750

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Newark, DE and in Ann Arbor, MI

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Newark, DE and in Ann Arbor, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,598 in Newark, DE versus $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Newark, DE $2,598
Ann Arbor, MI $2,750

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,550 in Newark, DE versus $4,198 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Newark, DE $3,550
Ann Arbor, MI $4,198

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,503 in Newark, DE versus $5,646 in Ann Arbor, MI.

Newark, DE $4,503
Ann Arbor, MI $5,646

Living in Newark, DE costs roughly 6% less than in Ann Arbor, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newark, DE 92% above, Ann Arbor, MI 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.20 $16.20

$18.66 $18.66

-13.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

-0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 $8.73

$11.76 $11.76

-25.77%

Cappuccino

$5.18 $5.18

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

$2.40 $2.40

$2.90 $2.90

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.09 $2.09

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 $4.11

$6.47 $6.47

-36.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$8.14 $8.14

-25.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.99 $0.99

-13.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.83 $3.83

-49.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.88 $4.88

-44.06%

Eggs

$3.81 $3.81

$3.82 $3.82

-0.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 $9.82

$19.36 $19.36

-49.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 $8.74

$13.03 $13.03

-32.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$14.93 $14.93

2.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$6.91 $6.91

-33.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.86 $1.86

-28.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.81 $3.81

19.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.50 $4.50

-13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.39 $2.39

6.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.85 $2.85

-10.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.52 $2.52

-26.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.02 $2.02

-31.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 $13.71

$10.32 $10.32

32.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 $14.34

$15.09 $15.09

-4.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.18 $2.18

-19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.79 $3.79

-2.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.78 $1.78

130.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 $60.4

$45.62 $45.62

32.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.93 $2.93

67.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.51 $1.51

-26.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.12 $23.12

$26.09 $26.09

-11.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.06 $1.06

-6.60%

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

$17.3K $17.3K

$29.6K $29.6K

-41.49%

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

$20.9K $20.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

-20.24%

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

$223 $223

$201 $201

10.71%

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

$49.59 $49.59

$58.9 $58.9

-15.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 $51.1

$73.0 $73.0

-30.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 $63.2

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.46 $19.46

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 $13.20

$13.22 $13.22

-0.15%

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

$1,950 $1,950

$1,999 $1,999

-2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K $27.9K

$19.6K $19.6K

42.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.75 $45.75

$55.8 $55.8

-17.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.34 $40.34

$44.52 $44.52

-9.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 $86.0

$113 $113

-23.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$106 $106

22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,523 $1,523

$2,077 $2,077

-26.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 $1,434

$1,375 $1,375

4.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,652 $2,652

$3,811 $3,811

-30.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 $2,009

$2,692 $2,692

-25.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,516 $2,516

$5,516 $5,516

-54.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,164 $2,164

$2,597 $2,597

-16.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,249 $4,249

$5,148 $5,148

-17.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.6

-2.12%

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

Last update for Newark, DE: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ann Arbor, MI: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Newark, DE

$1.4K 55.2%

Ann Arbor, MI

$1.4K 50% 4.1% $59

Groceries & Markets

Newark, DE

$324 12.5%

Ann Arbor, MI

$430 15.7% 33% $107

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newark, DE

$323 12.4%

Ann Arbor, MI

$333 12.1% 3% $9.7

Eating Out

Newark, DE

$267 10.3%

Ann Arbor, MI

$315 11.5% 17.9% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Newark, DE

$136 5.2%

Ann Arbor, MI

$144 5.2% 5.9% $8

Getting Around

Newark, DE

$87 3.4%

Ann Arbor, MI

$63 2.3% 27.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Newark, DE

$26 * 1%

Ann Arbor, MI

$90 3.3% 240% $63

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,523 in Newark, DE and $2,077 in Ann Arbor, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ann Arbor, MI pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in Newark, DE vs $59.0 in Ann Arbor, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 vs $430 per month, with Newark, DE cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newark, DE

🇺🇸 Ann Arbor, MI

🕒 Local time

21:23 9:23 PM

Same time as Newark, DE

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

311,549

123,851

💱 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

Newark, DE Ann Arbor, MI 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Newark, DE
Ann Arbor, MI

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

Newark, DE vs Ann Arbor, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newark, DE and Ann Arbor, MI differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($2,598 vs $2,750 including rent). Newark, DE is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Ann Arbor, MI. 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: $1,523 in Newark, DE versus $2,077 in Ann Arbor, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Newark, DE – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $59.0 in Ann Arbor, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,598 per month in Newark, DE versus $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,598 in Newark, DE versus $2,750 in Ann Arbor, MI, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Newark, DE but tight or insufficient in Ann Arbor, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Newark, DE the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Newark, DE and Ann Arbor, MI 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 Newark, DE gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Ann Arbor, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.