Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

148

Cost of Living Index in South Portland, ME
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South Portland, ME Living Index
239

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

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South Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,045

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

South Portland, ME is about 38% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.94 $24.94

$28.55 $28.55

-12.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

-0.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.71 $14.71

$15.04 $15.04

-2.19%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$6.53 $6.53

-18.07%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$3.96 $3.96

-21.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.01 $3.01

-21.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$8.16 $8.16

-4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.95 $7.95

$9.84 $9.84

-19.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.37 $1.37

-21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.97 $4.97

-11.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$7.81 $7.81

-10.88%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$5.97 $5.97

-32.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$18.91 $18.91

-18.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$18.04 $18.04

-42.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.97 $15.97

$19.05 $19.05

-16.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$6.76 $6.76

-29.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.27 $2.27

-27.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$6.83 $6.83

-19.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.61 $7.61

$7.09 $7.09

7.33%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.22 $4.22

3.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$4.65 $4.65

-18.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.87 $2.87

2.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.60 $2.60

-0.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.31 $12.31

$18.77 $18.77

-34.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$20.13 $20.13

-25.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.45 $3.45

-44.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$4.02 $4.02

-35.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.91 $2.91

-34.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 $51.3

$139 $139

-63.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.08 $3.08

-33.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.12 $2.12

-25.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.94 $10.94

$41.96 $41.96

-73.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 $1.17

-6.84%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$34.5K $34.5K

-20.27%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.37%

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

$239 $239

$219 $219

8.85%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$74.2 $74.2

-7.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 $78.6

$70.2 $70.2

11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.18 $40.18

$112 $112

-64.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.61 $29.61

$74.9 $74.9

-60.45%

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$22.14 $22.14

-32.48%

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

$401 $401

$3,558 $3,558

-88.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K $15.1K

$62.2K $62.2K

-75.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$75.6 $75.6

-31.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$123 $123

-16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$140 $140

-6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$4,499 $4,499

-56.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 $1,537

$3,078 $3,078

-50.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,166 $3,166

$9,447 $9,447

-66.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 $2,605

$5,190 $5,190

-49.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 $2,784

$18.1K $18.1K

-84.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 $2,332

$6,693 $6,693

-65.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,169 $4,169

$5,220 $5,220

-20.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

6.86

-3.06%

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

Last update for South Portland, ME: 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

South Portland, ME

$1.5K 50.5%

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3% 100% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

South Portland, ME

$446 14.7%

New York, NY

$563 11.4% 26.1% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

South Portland, ME

$386 12.7%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 5.7% $22

Eating Out

South Portland, ME

$385 12.6%

New York, NY

$440 8.9% 14.4% $56

Clothing & Footwear

South Portland, ME

$152 5%

New York, NY

$175 3.6% 15.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

South Portland, ME

$70 2.3%

New York, NY

$156 3.2% 123% $86

Getting Around

South Portland, ME

$69 2.3%

New York, NY

$164 3.3% 139% $95

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,972 in South Portland, ME 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 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 South Portland, ME versus $118 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $446 vs $563 – making South Portland, ME the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 South Portland, ME

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

09:07 9:07 AM

Same time as South Portland, ME

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,498

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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South Portland, ME New York, NY 470 km

From you

South Portland, ME
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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

South Portland, ME vs New York, NY: 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 $4,567 per month in South Portland, ME 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 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 $3,045 in South Portland, ME and $4,941 in New York, NY. That’s a gap of about 62%.

Kindergarten costs $401 per month in South Portland, ME 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.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,045 in South Portland, ME 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 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.