Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rockville, MD and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Rockville, MD: $3,247 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $20,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

157

Cost of Living Index in Rockville, MD
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Rockville, MD Living Index
239

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

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Rockville, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,247

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rockville, MD and in New York, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rockville, MD and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,247 per month in Rockville, MD vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Rockville, MD $3,247
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,701 per month in Rockville, MD vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Rockville, MD $4,701
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $6,154 per month in Rockville, MD vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Rockville, MD $6,154
New York, NY $9,509

Rockville, MD is about 34% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rockville, MD and New York, NY sit above the global median – Rockville, MD by 139%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.62 $22.62

$28.55 $28.55

-20.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.7 $74.7

$118 $118

-36.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 $10.19

$15.04 $15.04

-32.25%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$6.53 $6.53

-18.68%

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

$2.42 $2.42

$3.96 $3.96

-38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$3.01 $3.01

-41.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 $6.63

$8.16 $8.16

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.47 $7.47

$9.84 $9.84

-24.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.37 $1.37

-17.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 $2.98

$4.97 $4.97

-40.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$7.81 $7.81

-65.94%

Eggs

$3.81 $3.81

$5.97 $5.97

-36.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 $9.75

$18.91 $18.91

-48.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 $9.32

$18.04 $18.04

-48.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.29 $18.29

$19.05 $19.05

-3.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$6.76 $6.76

-29.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.27 $2.27

-44.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$6.83 $6.83

-35.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$7.09 $7.09

-45.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.22 $4.22

-38.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$4.65 $4.65

-47.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.87 $2.87

-9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.60 $2.60

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.00 $14.00

$18.77 $18.77

-25.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.48 $14.48

$20.13 $20.13

-28.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$3.45 $3.45

-30.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 $3.76

$4.02 $4.02

-6.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.91 $2.91

8.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 $110

$139 $139

-20.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$3.08 $3.08

63.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.12 $2.12

-47.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.29 $23.29

$41.96 $41.96

-44.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.17 $1.17

-8.55%

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

$34.3K $34.3K

$34.5K $34.5K

-0.60%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

1.78%

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

$297 $297

$219 $219

35.56%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$74.2 $74.2

-31.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 $60.6

$70.2 $70.2

-13.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.82 $42.82

$112 $112

-61.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 $12.46

$74.9 $74.9

-83.36%

Cinema Ticket

$16.64 $16.64

$22.14 $22.14

-24.84%

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

$1,934 $1,934

$3,558 $3,558

-45.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.7K $27.7K

$62.2K $62.2K

-55.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.01 $46.01

$75.6 $75.6

-39.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 $39.71

$51.2 $51.2

-22.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 $88.5

$123 $123

-28.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$140 $140

-5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,213 $2,213

$4,499 $4,499

-50.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 $1,791

$3,078 $3,078

-41.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,763 $3,763

$9,447 $9,447

-60.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,061 $3,061

$5,190 $5,190

-41.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,172 $4,172

$18.1K $18.1K

-76.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,976 $2,976

$6,693 $6,693

-55.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,378 $6,378

$5,220 $5,220

22.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.86

-5.83%

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

Last update for Rockville, MD: October 26, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rockville, MD

$1.8K 55.2%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 71.9% $1.3K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rockville, MD

$409 12.6%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 11% $45

Groceries & Markets

Rockville, MD

$359 11.1%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 56.8% $204

Eating Out

Rockville, MD

$340 10.5%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 29.5% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Rockville, MD

$138 4.3%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 27% $37

Getting Around

Rockville, MD

$133 4.1%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 23.2% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Rockville, MD

$76 2.3%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 105% $80

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,213 in Rockville, MD versus $4,499 in New York, NY. 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 22% higher in Rockville, MD, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Rockville, MD versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $563 – making Rockville, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rockville, MD

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

12:59 12:59 PM

Same time as Rockville, MD

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,139

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Rockville, MD New York, NY 310 km

From you

Rockville, MD
New York, NY

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

Rockville, MD vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 52% more than Rockville, MD, 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 $4,870 per month in Rockville, MD and $7,412 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rockville, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,213 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $1,934 per month in Rockville, MD and $3,558 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,247 in Rockville, MD and $4,941 in New York, NY. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Rockville, MD – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Rockville, MD is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 52% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.