Bangor vs Memphis
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Bangor
Memphis
💡 The Verdict
Memphis is 21% cheaper than Bangor overall. A $75,000 salary in Bangor is equivalent to $58,879 in Memphis.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Bangor (left) vs Memphis (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Bangor versus Memphis. Differences shown from Bangor perspective.
| Item | Bangor | Memphis | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $990/mo | $720/mo | +$270.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,370/mo | $1,000/mo | +$370.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,760/mo | $1,300/mo | +$460.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $3.24 | $2.40 | +$0.84 |
| Milk (gallon) | $4.13 | $3.74 | +$0.39 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.66 | $3.05 | +$0.61 |
| Coffee (latte) | $6.03 | $5.47 | +$0.56 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.56 | $3.29 | +$0.27 |
| Restaurant Meal | $20.04 | $13.90 | +$6.14 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Bangor has the same purchasing power as $58,879 in Memphis.
Conversely, $75,000 in Memphis equals $95,536 in Bangor.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $4126 difference is driven by Maine having a higher state income tax rate. Maine details → · Tennessee details →
Reading These Numbers: Bangor (107) vs Memphis (84)
Bangor at 107 is 7% above the US average, while Memphis at 84 is 16% below average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.
In Bangor, the composite index of 107 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 104, followed by groceries (109), utilities (109), transportation (111), and healthcare (114). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,370/mo in Bangor and $1,000/mo in Memphis, the annual rent difference is approximately $4,440.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $22,200.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $190,000.0 difference in median home prices between Bangor and Memphis translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Bangor vs Memphis
Choosing between Bangor and Memphis involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Bangor and Memphis reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.