Southampton, NY vs Stony Brook, NY

The cost of living difference between Southampton, NY and Stony Brook, NY is dramatic. Stony Brook is 60.7% cheaper than Southampton, a gap that translates to thousands of dollars per year in household expenses. Southampton has a cost index of 270 while Stony Brook sits at 168, making this one of the more striking comparisons on our site. Relocating between these cities would require a serious reassessment of budget and lifestyle expectations.

On the housing front, median rent in Southampton is $2,180/month compared to $2,643/month in Stony Brook — a 18% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Southampton has cheaper rent, Stony Brook actually has lower median home values ($587,300 vs $2,000,001).

Median household income in Southampton is $177,045 compared to $162,054 in Stony Brook (+9.3%). Southampton does offer higher incomes, but the salary premium barely offsets the higher cost of living, leaving residents with a tighter budget. Looking at affordability, residents of Southampton spend roughly 14.8% of their income on rent, less than the 19.6% in Stony Brook.