Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in the Northern Mariana Islands: $1,762 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index

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🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands

$1,762

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

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Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Northern Mariana Islands and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Northern Mariana Islands and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,762 in the Northern Mariana Islands versus $2,734 in the United States.

Northern Mariana Islands $1,762
United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,580 in the Northern Mariana Islands versus $3,985 in the United States.

Northern Mariana Islands $2,580
United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,399 in the Northern Mariana Islands versus $5,235 in the United States.

Northern Mariana Islands $3,399
United States $5,235

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $1,749–$1,749 in the Northern Mariana Islands. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in the Northern Mariana Islands costs about 36% less than in the United States on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: the Northern Mariana Islands 29% above, the United States 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.80 $14.80

$20.03 $20.03

-26.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.03 $43.03

$80.0 $80.0

-46.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.22 $14.22

$11.80 $11.80

20.51%

Cappuccino

$5.40 $5.40

$5.55 $5.55

-2.70%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$2.66 $2.66

-24.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.17 $2.17

-35.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$6.12 $6.12

-0.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 $7.36

$7.94 $7.94

-7.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.04 $1.04

145.19%

White Bread (500g)

$5.67 $5.67

$3.59 $3.59

57.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$45.28 $45.28

$4.52 $4.52

901.77%

Eggs

$6.05 $6.05

$4.28 $4.28

41.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$12.60 $12.60

5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$17.60 $17.60

-61.93%

Apples (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$5.30 $5.30

22.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

Oranges (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$4.44 $4.44

46.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.97 $2.97

-32.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.15 $3.15

-29.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.20 $2.20

125.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 $15.16

$15.05 $15.05

0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.58 $3.58

37.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.02 $1.02

42.16%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$28.8K $28.8K

26.19%

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

$21.7K $21.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

-17.12%

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

$377 $377

$218 $218

72.76%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$62.5 $62.5

-4.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.2 $91.2

$74.5 $74.5

22.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.1 $61.1

$41.86 $41.86

45.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

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

$1,489 $1,489

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.86 $39.86

$114 $114

-64.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 $815

$1,659 $1,659

-50.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 $373

$1,348 $1,348

-72.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 $780

$2,682 $2,682

-70.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 $808

$2,169 $2,169

-62.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$991 $991

$4,296 $4,296

-76.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

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

Last update for the Northern Mariana Islands: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Northern Mariana Islands

–

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

Groceries & Markets

Northern Mariana Islands

–

United States

$415 15.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Northern Mariana Islands

–

United States

$355 13%

Eating Out

Northern Mariana Islands

–

United States

$328 12%

Clothing & Footwear

Northern Mariana Islands

–

United States

$137 5%

Getting Around

Northern Mariana Islands

–

United States

$80 2.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Northern Mariana Islands

–

United States

$71 2.6%

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $794 in the Northern Mariana Islands, $1,620 in the United States. Capital cities: $794 in Saipan vs $2,768 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $1,005 in the Northern Mariana Islands, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 104% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 79% more in the United States.

Salaries are about 4.5 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

11:16 11:16 AM

21:16 9:16 PM

14 h behind the Northern Mariana Islands

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

47,329

340,110,988

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Northern Mariana Islands United States 12,100 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Northern Mariana Islands
United States

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

Northern Mariana Islands vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,762 per month in the Northern Mariana Islands and $2,734 in the United States, the Northern Mariana Islands comes out about 36% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $794 in the Northern Mariana Islands. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In the Northern Mariana Islands, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in the United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: the Northern Mariana Islands wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.