Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Salem, MA: $3,554 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

171

Cost of Living Index in Salem, MA
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Salem, MA Living Index
239

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

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Salem, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,554

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salem, MA 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 Salem, MA and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,554 per month in Salem, MA vs $4,941 in New York, NY, rent included.

Salem, MA $3,554
New York, NY $4,941

A couple spends around $4,918 per month in Salem, MA vs $7,225 in New York, NY, rent included.

Salem, MA $4,918
New York, NY $7,225

A family of three spends $6,282 per month in Salem, MA vs $9,509 in New York, NY, rent included.

Salem, MA $6,282
New York, NY $9,509

Salem, MA is about 28% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Salem, MA and New York, NY sit above the global median – Salem, MA by 161%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 $25.21

$28.55 $28.55

-11.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$118 $118

-14.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 $10.89

$15.04 $15.04

-27.59%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$6.53 $6.53

-24.20%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$3.96 $3.96

-37.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.01 $3.01

-29.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$8.16 $8.16

-3.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 $7.01

$9.84 $9.84

-28.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.37 $1.37

-8.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$4.97 $4.97

-27.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$7.81 $7.81

-43.28%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$5.97 $5.97

-25.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$18.91 $18.91

-33.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$18.04 $18.04

-37.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$19.05 $19.05

-11.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$6.76 $6.76

-30.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.27 $2.27

-30.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$6.83 $6.83

-35.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$7.09 $7.09

-33.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$4.22 $4.22

-33.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$4.65 $4.65

-36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.87 $2.87

-12.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.60 $2.60

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.56 $9.56

$18.77 $18.77

-49.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$20.13 $20.13

-24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.45 $3.45

-35.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$4.02 $4.02

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.91 $2.91

-23.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$139 $139

-57.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.08 $3.08

12.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.12 $2.12

-16.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.75 $26.75

$41.96 $41.96

-36.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.17 $1.17

-24.79%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$34.5K $34.5K

-28.95%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$25.9K $25.9K

-11.49%

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

$193 $193

$219 $219

-12.08%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$74.2 $74.2

-21.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$70.2 $70.2

-6.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 $42.42

$112 $112

-62.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 $14.78

$22.14 $22.14

-33.24%

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

$1,423 $1,423

$3,558 $3,558

-60.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K $21.9K

$62.2K $62.2K

-64.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.3 $85.3

$75.6 $75.6

12.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 $57.1

$51.2 $51.2

11.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$123 $123

-20.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 $98.3

$140 $140

-29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$4,499 $4,499

-47.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$3,078 $3,078

-29.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 $3,963

$9,447 $9,447

-58.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$5,190 $5,190

-40.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,802 $2,802

$18.1K $18.1K

-84.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 $2,303

$6,693 $6,693

-65.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,667 $9,667

$5,220 $5,220

85.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.86

-4.23%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: 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

Salem, MA

$2.2K 60.9%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 42.2% $914

Groceries & Markets

Salem, MA

$402 11.3%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 40% $161

Eating Out

Salem, MA

$366 10.3%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 20.4% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salem, MA

$317 8.9%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 14.8% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Salem, MA

$152 4.3%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 15.1% $23

Getting Around

Salem, MA

$81 2.3%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 103% $83

Sport & Entertainment

Salem, MA

$72 2%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 117% $84

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,353 in Salem, MA 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 85% higher in Salem, MA, 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 $101 in Salem, MA versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $402 vs $563 – making Salem, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Salem, MA

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

02:38 2:38 AM

Same time as Salem, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

155,469

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Salem, MA New York, NY 340 km

From you

Salem, MA
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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

Salem, MA vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 39% more than Salem, MA, 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 $5,332 per month in Salem, MA 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 Salem, MA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,353 there versus $4,499 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $1,423 per month in Salem, MA 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 40% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,554 in Salem, MA 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 Salem, MA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, Salem, MA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 28% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.