Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

165

Cost of Living Index in Davis, CA
Learn more

Davis, CA Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
Learn more

Amherst, MA Living Index

Jump to prices

Davis, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,382

/mo nomad

Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,759

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living in Davis, CA is roughly 23% more expensive than in Amherst, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.16 $22.16

$20.37 $20.37

8.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$69.3 $69.3

47.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.90 $12.90

$9.18 $9.18

40.52%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$4.86 $4.86

9.05%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$2.62 $2.62

41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.95 $1.95

22.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.92 $5.92

38.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.10 $8.10

$10.63 $10.63

-23.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.05 $1.05

25.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 $3.70

$3.17 $3.17

16.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$7.12 $7.12

-41.29%

Eggs

$5.20 $5.20

$4.68 $4.68

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 $11.16

$16.30 $16.30

-31.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.47 $15.47

$15.68 $15.68

-1.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.22 $17.22

$18.11 $18.11

-4.91%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.83 $4.83

6.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.37 $1.37

18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.25 $3.25

31.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.82 $4.82

-4.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.24 $3.24

-15.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.55 $3.55

-18.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.04 $2.04

12.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$10.38 $10.38

-2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.86 $15.86

$12.16 $12.16

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.05 $2.05

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.95 $3.95

-15.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.29 $1.29

14.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.89 $37.89

$27.49 $27.49

37.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.46 $3.46

-14.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.37 $1.37

13.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.28 $28.28

$29.92 $29.92

-5.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.92 $0.92

51.09%

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)

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.2K $25.2K

1.51%

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

$293 $293

$207 $207

41.25%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$56.8 $56.8

3.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 $75.7

$90.5 $90.5

-16.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.3 $58.3

$120 $120

-51.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.15 $7.15

Cinema Ticket

$15.57 $15.57

$10.64 $10.64

46.33%

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

$1,403 $1,403

$1,513 $1,513

-7.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$16.8K $16.8K

24.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$44.36 $44.36

23.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 $41.84

$40.35 $40.35

3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 $97.4

$89.7 $89.7

8.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$107 $107

6.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 $2,203

$1,826 $1,826

20.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 $1,887

$1,342 $1,342

40.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,761 $3,761

$3,963 $3,963

-5.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,355 $3,355

$2,682 $2,682

25.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,760 $2,760

$4,010 $4,010

-31.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,418 $2,418

$4,000 $4,000

-39.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,017 $5,017

$4,769 $4,769

5.20%

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 Davis, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Davis, CA

$1.9K 55.8%

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7% 28.9% $545

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Davis, CA

$428 12.7%

Amherst, MA

$355 12.9% 17.1% $73

Groceries & Markets

Davis, CA

$423 12.5%

Amherst, MA

$433 15.7% 2.3% $9.8

Eating Out

Davis, CA

$361 10.7%

Amherst, MA

$318 11.5% 12% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Davis, CA

$138 4.1%

Amherst, MA

$127 4.6% 8.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Davis, CA

$89 2.6%

Amherst, MA

$141 5.1% 57.6% $52

Getting Around

Davis, CA

$55 1.6%

Amherst, MA

$43 1.6% 21.4% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,203 in Davis, CA and $1,826 in Amherst, MA. 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: $102 in Davis, CA vs $69.0 in Amherst, MA. Groceries flip the comparison at $423 vs $433, with Davis, CA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Davis, CA

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🕒 Local time

02:44 2:44 AM

05:44 5:44 AM

3 h ahead of Davis, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,850

37,819

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Davis, CA
Amherst, MA

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

Davis, CA vs Amherst, MA: 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.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Davis, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

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

Childcare runs $1,403 in Davis, CA versus $1,513 in Amherst, MA. 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, Davis, CA and Amherst, MA 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.