Boston vs New York Cost of Living
Boston (United States) · Overall index 84.9 — New York (United States) · Overall index 100.0
Summary
- Overall, New York is 18% more expensive than Boston.
- Rent in New York is 34% more expensive than in Boston.
- Dining out in New York is 18% more expensive than in Boston.
| Item | Boston | New York | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +34% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,269 | $4,328 | +32% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,931 | $2,796 | +45% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $5,699 | $7,980 | +40% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $4,016 | $4,915 | +22% |
| Groceries | +9% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.23 | $1.48 | +20% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.9 | $4.03 | +3% |
| Rice (1kg) | $5.61 | $5.54 | -1% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.67 | $5.18 | +11% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $13.9 | $16.5 | +19% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $12 | $13.6 | +13% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $20 | $22.8 | +14% |
| Apples (1kg) | $6.14 | $6.73 | +10% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $2.28 | $2.56 | +12% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.62 | $5.31 | +15% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.51 | $6.04 | +10% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $3.25 | $3.01 | -7% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.95 | $3.09 | +5% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.84 | $2.85 | 0% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.22 | $2.81 | +27% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $16.2 | $17 | +5% |
| Transport | +13% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.61 | $2.75 | +5% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $114 | $145 | +27% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.53 | $4.13 | +17% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.74 | $2.06 | +18% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.86 | $0.93 | +8% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $28,251 | $29,178 | +3% |
| Dining out | +18% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $22.5 | $25.5 | +13% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $120 | $140 | +17% |
| Fast food combo meal | $10.3 | $12.7 | +23% |
| Cappuccino | $4.9 | $5.58 | +14% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.58 | $3.23 | +25% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $7.54 | $8.19 | +9% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.42 | $8.34 | +12% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.86 | $2.48 | +33% |
| Telecom | +12% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $53.5 | $64.2 | +20% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $66.8 | $66.9 | 0% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.32 | $0.38 | +19% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.5 | $14.9 | +10% |
| Utilities & household | +10% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $161 | $173 | +7% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.2 | $0.25 | +25% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.73 | $4.81 | +2% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.61 | $1.75 | +9% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $23.6 | $23.6 | 0% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $83.8 | $94.7 | +13% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $14.9 | $16.6 | +11% |
| Men's haircut | $30.1 | $36.8 | +22% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $27.4 | $25.1 | -8% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,899 | $2,473 | +30% |
3,267 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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