Melrose, MA vs Valley Stream, NY: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Valley Stream, NY has a modeled overall cost index 7.0% higher than Melrose, MA.

Melrose, MA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,820 / month
Valley Stream, NY · modeled 2BR rent: $2,610 / 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 Melrose, MA and Valley Stream, 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 Melrose, MA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $969/month in Valley Stream, NY

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $161,626 in Valley Stream, NY

Regional cost estimates: Melrose, MA uses Boston, MA. Valley Stream, NY uses New York, NY. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 7.0%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$969

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$11.6K

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.

Melrose, MA

Population:29K

Cost Index:

138.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$872K

Valley Stream, NY

Population:40K

Cost Index:

148.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$730K

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Melrose, MA

The Bay State

29K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Massachusetts, this city has a population of 29K residents.

Valley Stream, NY

The Empire State

40K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New York, this city has a population of 40K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Melrose, MA vs Valley Stream, 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	Melrose, MA	Valley Stream, NY	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,227/mo	$4,440/mo	↑ $1,213more	37.6%
Transportation	$1,244/mo	$1,034/mo	↓ $211less	16.9%
All Utilities	$504/mo	$412/mo	↓ $92.51less	18.3%
Other	$1,240/mo	$1,312/mo	↑ $71.69more	5.8%
Healthcare	$524/mo	$472/mo	↓ $51.79less	9.9%
Groceries	$760/mo	$799/mo	↑ $39.31more	5.2%

Housing

↑ 37.6%

Melrose, MA

$3,227

Valley Stream, NY

$4,440

Difference

$1,213

Transportation

↓ 16.9%

Melrose, MA

$1,244

Valley Stream, NY

$1,034

Difference

$211

less

All Utilities

↓ 18.3%

Melrose, MA

$504

Valley Stream, NY

$412

Difference

$92.51

less

Other

↑ 5.8%

Melrose, MA

$1,240

Valley Stream, NY

$1,312

Difference

$71.69

Healthcare

↓ 9.9%

Melrose, MA

$524

Valley Stream, NY

$472

Difference

$51.79

less

Groceries

↑ 5.2%

Melrose, MA

$760

Valley Stream, NY

$799

Difference

$39.31

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,260

To$2,170

↓ $90.00

1 Bed

From$2,370

To$2,260

↓ $110

2 Bed

From$2,820

To$2,610

↓ $210

3 Bed

From$3,380

To$3,390

↑ $10.00

Melrose, MAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,370–$2,370/mo

Valley Stream, NYZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,260–$2,260/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 Melrose, MA

$8,469

Monthly in Valley Stream, NY

$969

Difference

Home Values

Melrose

Valley Stream

$872K

Median Value

$730K

↑ +2.4%

YoY Change

↑ +4.6%

↑ +28.3%

5-Year Change

↑ +31.5%

Homes in Valley Stream are 16% less expensive than Melrose

Calculate payment - Melrose Calculate payment - Valley Stream

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $2.0K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$170

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.4%

Rate difference

Melrose, MA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Massachusetts State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Valley Stream, 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

Melrose, MA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:1.2%

Valley Stream, 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

Melrose

Valley Stream

36 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

79.5%

Good Air Days

65.8%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

Before moving from Melrose, MA to Valley Stream, NY

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Valley Stream, NY for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Melrose, MA. 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 Melrose to Valley Stream moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Melrose, MA vs Valley Stream, NY

How do the cost estimates for Melrose, MA and Valley Stream, NY compare?

Valley Stream, NY has a modeled overall cost index 7.0% higher than Melrose, MA. 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 Melrose, MA, the model estimates $161,626 in Valley Stream, 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 Melrose, MA and Valley Stream, NY?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,820/month in Melrose, MA and $2,610/month in Valley Stream, 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 Massachusetts and New York on TaxTakeHome.com