Kensington, MD vs Brightwaters, NY: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Brightwaters, NY has a modeled overall cost index 4.1% higher than Kensington, MD.

Kensington, MD · modeled 2BR rent: $2,350 / month
Brightwaters, NY · modeled 2BR rent: $2,450 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Kensington, MD and Brightwaters, NY using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Kensington, MD

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $503/month in Brightwaters, NY

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $156,033 in Brightwaters, NY

Regional cost estimates: Kensington, MD uses Washington, DC. Brightwaters, NY uses New York, NY. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 4.1%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$503

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$6.0K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Kensington, MD

Population:2K

Cost Index:

132.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$790K

Brightwaters, NY

Population:3K

Cost Index:

138.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$811K

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Kensington, MD

The Old Line State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Maryland, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Brightwaters, NY

The Empire State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New York, this city has a population of 3K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Kensington, MD vs Brightwaters, NY

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Kensington, MD	Brightwaters, NY	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,591/mo	$4,166/mo	↑ $575more	16.0%
Transportation	$1,211/mo	$970/mo	↓ $241less	19.9%
Other	$1,172/mo	$1,231/mo	↑ $58.68more	5.0%
All Utilities	$349/mo	$400/mo	↑ $50.95more	14.6%
Groceries	$742/mo	$777/mo	↑ $35.49more	4.8%
Healthcare	$434/mo	$459/mo	↑ $24.41more	5.6%

Housing

↑ 16.0%

Kensington, MD

$3,591

Brightwaters, NY

$4,166

Difference

$575

Transportation

↓ 19.9%

Kensington, MD

$1,211

Brightwaters, NY

$970

Difference

$241

less

Other

↑ 5.0%

Kensington, MD

$1,172

Brightwaters, NY

$1,231

Difference

$58.68

All Utilities

↑ 14.6%

Kensington, MD

$349

Brightwaters, NY

$400

Difference

$50.95

Groceries

↑ 4.8%

Kensington, MD

$742

Brightwaters, NY

$777

Difference

$35.49

Healthcare

↑ 5.6%

Kensington, MD

$434

Brightwaters, NY

$459

Difference

$24.41

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,040

To$1,780

↓ $260

1 Bed

From$2,110

To$2,120

↑ $10.00

2 Bed

From$2,350

To$2,450

↑ $100

3 Bed

From$2,970

To$3,180

↑ $210

Kensington, MDZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,110–$2,110/mo

Brightwaters, NYZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,120–$2,120/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Kensington, MD

$8,003

Monthly in Brightwaters, NY

$503

Difference

Home Values

Kensington

Brightwaters

$790K

Median Value

$811K

↓ -0.6%

YoY Change

↑ +3.4%

↑ +17.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +36.5%

Homes in Brightwaters are 3% more expensive than Kensington

Calculate payment - Kensington Calculate payment - Brightwaters

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $2.3K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$190

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.5%

Rate difference

Kensington, MD

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Maryland State Tax

Effective: 4.8%

$7.3K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.5%

$44.3K

Take-Home Pay

$8,811/month

$105.7K

Brightwaters, NY

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New York State Tax

Effective: 6.4%

$9.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.0%

$46.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,620/month

$103.4K

Additional Tax Information

Kensington, MD Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Brightwaters, NY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:1.2%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Kensington

Brightwaters

45 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

63.7%

Good Air Days

65.8%

98 High

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌀🌡

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

27 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

27 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

Before moving from Kensington, MD to Brightwaters, NY

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Brightwaters, NY for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Kensington, MD. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Kensington to Brightwaters moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Brightwaters, NY by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Kensington, MD vs Brightwaters, NY

How do the cost estimates for Kensington, MD and Brightwaters, NY compare?

Brightwaters, NY has a modeled overall cost index 4.1% higher than Kensington, MD. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Kensington, MD, the model estimates $156,033 in Brightwaters, NY. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Kensington, MD and Brightwaters, NY?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,350/month in Kensington, MD and $2,450/month in Brightwaters, NY. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Maryland and New York on TaxTakeHome.com