Prices are slightly lower than that for Room and Board at NE and Midwest publics. The costs of R&B are $14,000-$16,000, unless you’re looking for places like the most expensive option at Michigan, which is around $17,500 for a premium" private room. But UCONN, SUNY, UNC, UIUC, OSU, UMD, UMass, and some others all are under $15,000 for room and board, and in a few cases, under $14,000.
The only publics that I could find that cost more than that for R&B are the UCs, which are in the $17,000-$19,000 range. There may be a few more, but not many.
Private colleges cost in the $18,000-$19,000 range, but some which are more expensive, like WashU, which costs almost $21,000.
Some private colleges in the NE, like Amherst, have very generous meal plans, with there being no limit on number of meals. So long as a dining hall is open, you can go in and eat whatever you want. On the other hand, UMass Amherst also has an “all you can eat” meal plan, which, with on-campus living, still remains in the $14,000-$15,000 range.