Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matamoros and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Matamoros: $1,090 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $46,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Matamoros
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,090
/mo nomad
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,950
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matamoros and in New York, NY

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,090 in Matamoros versus $4,950 in New York, NY.

  • Matamoros $1,090
  • New York, NY $4,950

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,832 in Matamoros versus $7,265 in New York, NY.

  • Matamoros $1,832
  • New York, NY $7,265

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,573 in Matamoros versus $9,581 in New York, NY.

  • Matamoros $2,573
  • New York, NY $9,581

Living in Matamoros costs roughly 78% less than in New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matamoros is 19% below, New York, NY is 267% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Matamoros
New York, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.38 MX$229
$24.65 $24.65
-49.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.67 MX$696
$122 $122
-69.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.06 MX$167
$13.91 $13.91
-34.87%
Cappuccino
$3.29 MX$60.8
$6.59 $6.59
-50.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$27.18
$3.84 $3.84
-61.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$19.40
$2.87 $2.87
-63.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.26 MX$41.81
$7.79 $7.79
-70.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 MX$82.8
$9.85 $9.85
-54.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Matamoros
New York, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 MX$30.12
$1.38 $1.38
18.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 MX$44.43
$4.68 $4.68
-48.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 MX$31.43
$7.54 $7.54
-77.45%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$47.54
$5.93 $5.93
-56.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.01 MX$167
$18.83 $18.83
-52.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.82 MX$144
$17.36 $17.36
-54.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.74 MX$217
$18.51 $18.51
-36.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 MX$49.81
$6.74 $6.74
-59.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 MX$31.92
$2.09 $2.09
-17.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.67 MX$30.82
$6.07 $6.07
-72.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 MX$37.92
$6.74 $6.74
-69.58%
Potato (1kg)
$2.17 MX$40.01
$4.05 $4.05
-46.42%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 MX$38.70
$4.37 $4.37
-52.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.61 MX$29.73
$2.89 $2.89
-44.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.48
$2.60 $2.60
-53.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 MX$87.2
$18.72 $18.72
-74.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.79 MX$199
$20.06 $20.06
-46.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 MX$37.32
$3.25 $3.25
-37.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 MX$58.8
$3.73 $3.73
-14.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Matamoros
New York, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 MX$12.03
$3.06 $3.06
-78.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$140 $140
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.71 MX$50.0
$3.04 $3.04
-10.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.25 MX$41.49
$2.15 $2.15
4.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.47 MX$212
$41.82 $41.82
-72.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 MX$24.72
$1.12 $1.12
19.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5K MX$435.0K
$35.5K $35.5K
-33.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K MX$441.3K
$26.0K $26.0K
-8.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Matamoros
New York, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.2 MX$1,038
$219 $219
-74.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.44 MX$470
$73.2 $73.2
-65.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.61 MX$492
$72.0 $72.0
-63.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Matamoros
New York, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.88 MX$608
$123 $123
-73.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.40 MX$414
$67.7 $67.7
-66.90%
Cinema Ticket
$4.48 MX$82.7
$22.85 $22.85
-80.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Matamoros
New York, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$223 MX$4,114
$3,333 $3,333
-93.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,650 MX$85.9K
$60.0K $60.0K
-92.25%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Matamoros
New York, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 MX$986
$75.2 $75.2
-29.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.50 MX$711
$52.4 $52.4
-26.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.1 MX$1,832
$122 $122
-18.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 MX$1,467
$133 $133
-40.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Matamoros
New York, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$646 MX$11.9K
$4,389 $4,389
-85.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$337 MX$6,220
$3,130 $3,130
-89.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$901 MX$16.7K
$8,918 $8,918
-89.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$826 MX$15.3K
$5,354 $5,354
-84.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,039 MX$37.7K
$19.4K $19.4K
-89.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,054 MX$19.5K
$6,806 $6,806
-84.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Matamoros
New York, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$5,343 $5,343
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
6.82
65.69%

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

Last update for Matamoros: October 11, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Matamoros
$337
New York, NY
$3.1K 830% $2.8K
Groceries & Markets
Matamoros
$269
New York, NY
$545 102% $276
Eating Out
Matamoros
$196
New York, NY
$404 106% $208
Clothing & Footwear
Matamoros
$122
New York, NY
$172 41.4% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Matamoros
$108
New York, NY
$364 237% $256
Sport & Entertainment
Matamoros
$42
New York, NY
$168 303% $127
Getting Around
Matamoros
$17 *
New York, NY
$167 907% $150

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $646 in Matamoros and $4,389 in New York, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Matamoros vs $122 in New York, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $545 per month, with Matamoros cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Matamoros
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🕒 Local time
23:17 11:17 PM
00:17 12:17 AM
1 h ahead of Matamoros
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
510,739
8,804,190
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Matamoros New York, NY 2,700 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Matamoros
  • New York, NY

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
Matamoros vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Matamoros or New York, NY?
Matamoros wins on cost – living expenses run 354% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Matamoros the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Matamoros and in New York, NY?
You'd need roughly $1,635 in Matamoros and $7,424 in New York, NY to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Matamoros compared to New York, NY?
Rent for a central apartment: $646 in Matamoros versus $4,389 in New York, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Matamoros and in New York, NY?
Childcare runs $223 in Matamoros versus $3,333 in New York, NY. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Matamoros and in New York, NY?
Dining out is cheaper in Matamoros – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $122 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Matamoros or in New York, NY?
At $1,090 in Matamoros versus $4,950 in New York, NY, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Matamoros but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Matamoros the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Matamoros or New York, NY?
Both work as nomad bases, but Matamoros delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,090 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Matamoros hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Matamoros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 354% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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