Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, NY and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $2,512 in Amherst, NY, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Amherst, NY, United States
Monterrey, Mexico
Amherst, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,512
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amherst, NY and in Monterrey

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

A single person spends $2,512 per month in Amherst, NY vs $1,641 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Amherst, NY $2,512
  • Monterrey $1,641

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Amherst, NY vs $2,573 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Amherst, NY $3,853
  • Monterrey $2,573

A family of three spends $5,195 per month in Amherst, NY vs $3,504 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Amherst, NY $5,195
  • Monterrey $3,504

Amherst, NY costs about 53% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Amherst, NY and Monterrey sit above the global median – Amherst, NY by 86%, Monterrey by 21%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amherst, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.08 $18.08
$13.37 MX$250
35.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.0 $78.0
$47.95 MX$897
62.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.17 $12.17
$10.79 MX$202
12.79%
Cappuccino
$5.94 $5.94
$3.77 MX$70.4
57.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 $2.75
$1.51 MX$28.26
82.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.03 MX$19.25
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.93 $6.93
$2.48 MX$46.41
179.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.58 $7.58
$4.36 MX$81.5
73.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amherst, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.89 MX$35.43
-53.44%
White Bread (500g)
$3.32 $3.32
$2.85 MX$53.3
16.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$1.86 MX$34.71
132.26%
Eggs
$3.96 $3.96
$2.47 MX$46.12
60.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.06 $11.06
$11.81 MX$221
-6.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.98 $9.98
$8.97 MX$168
11.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.86 $15.86
$12.57 MX$235
26.17%
Apples (1kg)
$4.91 $4.91
$3.20 MX$59.8
53.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 $1.43
$1.50 MX$28.12
-4.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.39 $4.39
$2.12 MX$39.74
107.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.26 $5.26
$2.33 MX$43.64
125.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 $2.72
$2.22 MX$41.58
22.52%
Onion (1kg)
$2.95 $2.95
$2.58 MX$48.34
14.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.40 $2.40
$1.45 MX$27.04
65.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.22 MX$22.85
102.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.03 $15.03
$4.80 MX$89.7
213.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.05 $15.05
$13.30 MX$249
13.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.93 MX$36.14
3.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.12 $4.12
$2.86 MX$53.4
44.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Amherst, NY
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.95 $1.95
$0.80 MX$14.94
143.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 $54.1
$30.94 MX$579
74.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.83 $2.83
$1.83 MX$34.28
54.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.06 MX$19.78
93.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.01 $20.01
$10.82 MX$202
84.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 $1.18
$1.47 MX$27.54
-19.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.6K $30.6K
$24.1K MX$450.4K
27.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$23.5K MX$440.2K
9.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amherst, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$234 $234
$115 MX$2,144
104.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.7 $51.7
$26.37 MX$493
96.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.3 $66.3
$25.70 MX$481
158.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amherst, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.31 $40.31
$30.53 MX$571
32.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.77 $19.77
$21.27 MX$398
-7.05%
Cinema Ticket
$12.88 $12.88
$4.96 MX$92.8
159.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amherst, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,263 $1,263
$679 MX$12.7K
86.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.9K $18.9K
$14.2K MX$265.3K
33.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amherst, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 $53.7
$72.2 MX$1,350
-25.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.22 $44.22
$41.94 MX$784
5.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 $96.1
$107 MX$2,011
-10.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115 $115
$119 MX$2,219
-3.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amherst, NY
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,547 $1,547
$1,018 MX$19.0K
52.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,174 $1,174
$722 MX$13.5K
62.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,716 $2,716
$1,966 MX$36.8K
38.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,269 $2,269
$1,416 MX$26.5K
60.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,775 $2,775
$4,203 MX$78.6K
-33.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,351 $2,351
$2,782 MX$52.0K
-15.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amherst, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,179 $4,179
$1,096 MX$20.5K
281.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.52
11.79
-44.70%

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

Last update for Amherst, NY: November 2, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Amherst, NY
$1.2K
Monterrey
$722 38.5% $452
Groceries & Markets
Amherst, NY
$384
Monterrey
$302 21.4% $82
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amherst, NY
$352
Monterrey
$167 52.6% $185
Eating Out
Amherst, NY
$322
Monterrey
$216 32.9% $106
Clothing & Footwear
Amherst, NY
$139
Monterrey
$153 10.3% $14
Getting Around
Amherst, NY
$75
Monterrey
$41 45% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Amherst, NY
$66
Monterrey
$40 38.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,547 in Amherst, NY versus $1,018 in Monterrey. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Amherst, NY are about 3.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Amherst, NY versus $48 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $302 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Amherst, NY
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
16:07 4:07 PM
15:07 3:07 PM
1 h behind Amherst, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
37,819
1,142,994
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.7 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.9 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Amherst, NY Monterrey 2,740 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Amherst, NY
  • Monterrey

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, NY vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Amherst, NY or Monterrey?
Amherst, NY costs about 53% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Amherst, NY and in Monterrey?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,767 per month in Amherst, NY and $2,461 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Amherst, NY or Monterrey?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Monterrey, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,018 there versus $1,547 in Amherst, NY.
How do childcare costs compare in Amherst, NY and in Monterrey?
Kindergarten costs $1,263 per month in Amherst, NY and $679 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Amherst, NY or in Monterrey?
Groceries cost about 27% more in Amherst, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Amherst, NY or in Monterrey?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,512 in Amherst, NY and $1,641 in Monterrey, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Monterrey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Amherst, NY or to Monterrey?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amherst, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Amherst, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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