Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Davis, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, MA: $2,759 a month against $3,382 in Davis, CA, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Davis, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

134

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index
165

Cost of Living Index in Davis, CA
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Davis, CA Living Index

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Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,759

/mo nomad

Davis, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,382

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amherst, MA and in Davis, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Amherst, MA and in Davis, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Amherst, MA versus $3,382 in Davis, CA.

Amherst, MA $2,759
Davis, CA $3,382

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,250 in Amherst, MA versus $5,016 in Davis, CA.

Amherst, MA $4,250
Davis, CA $5,016

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,742 in Amherst, MA versus $6,650 in Davis, CA.

Amherst, MA $5,742
Davis, CA $6,650

Living in Amherst, MA costs roughly 18% less than in Davis, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 104% above, Davis, CA 151% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.37 $20.37

$22.16 $22.16

-8.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$102 $102

-32.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 $9.18

$12.90 $12.90

-28.84%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$5.30 $5.30

-8.30%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.72 $3.72

-29.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.38 $2.38

-18.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$8.21 $8.21

-27.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.63 $10.63

$8.10 $8.10

31.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.32 $1.32

-20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.70 $3.70

-14.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$4.18 $4.18

70.33%

Eggs

$4.68 $4.68

$5.20 $5.20

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$11.16 $11.16

46.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.68 $15.68

$15.47 $15.47

1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.11 $18.11

$17.22 $17.22

5.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$5.14 $5.14

-6.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.63 $1.63

-15.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$4.27 $4.27

-23.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$4.61 $4.61

4.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.75 $2.75

17.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.89 $2.89

22.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.30 $2.30

-11.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.38 $10.38

$10.10 $10.10

2.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 $12.16

$15.86 $15.86

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.73 $1.73

18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.34 $3.34

18.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.48 $1.48

-12.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 $27.49

$37.89 $37.89

-27.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.95 $2.95

17.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.56 $1.56

-12.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.92 $29.92

$28.28 $28.28

5.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.39 $1.39

-33.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.5K $36.5K

-0.04%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.2K $25.2K

$25.5K $25.5K

-1.49%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$207 $207

$293 $293

-29.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$56.8 $56.8

$59.1 $59.1

-3.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.5 $90.5

$75.7 $75.7

19.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$58.3 $58.3

105.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.15 $7.15

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 $10.64

$15.57 $15.57

-31.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,513 $1,513

$1,403 $1,403

7.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$20.9K $20.9K

-19.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.36 $44.36

$54.6 $54.6

-18.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 $40.35

$41.84 $41.84

-3.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$97.4 $97.4

-7.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$114 $114

-6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$2,203 $2,203

-17.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$1,887 $1,887

-28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 $3,963

$3,761 $3,761

5.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$3,355 $3,355

-20.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 $4,010

$2,760 $2,760

45.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,000 $4,000

$2,418 $2,418

65.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$5,017 $5,017

-4.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Davis, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7%

Davis, CA

$1.9K 55.8% 40.6% $545

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, MA

$433 15.7%

Davis, CA

$423 12.5% 2.3% $9.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, MA

$355 12.9%

Davis, CA

$428 12.7% 20.6% $73

Eating Out

Amherst, MA

$318 11.5%

Davis, CA

$361 10.7% 13.6% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, MA

$141 5.1%

Davis, CA

$89 2.6% 36.6% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, MA

$127 4.6%

Davis, CA

$138 4.1% 9.4% $12

Getting Around

Amherst, MA

$43 1.6%

Davis, CA

$55 1.6% 27.2% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Amherst, MA and $2,203 in Davis, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Davis, CA pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Amherst, MA vs $102 in Davis, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $433 vs $423, with Davis, CA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 Davis, CA

🕒 Local time

04:57 4:57 AM

01:57 1:57 AM

3 h behind Amherst, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

66,850

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Amherst, MA Davis, CA 4,130 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, MA
Davis, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Amherst, MA vs Davis, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amherst, MA is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Davis, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,826 in Amherst, MA versus $2,203 in Davis, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,513 in Amherst, MA versus $1,403 in Davis, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Davis, CA pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Amherst, MA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Amherst, MA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Davis, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Amherst, MA and Davis, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Amherst, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Davis, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.