Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Amherst, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, MA: $2,767 a month against $4,941 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $26,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
132

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

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,941

/mo nomad

Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,767

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY 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 New York, NY and in Amherst, MA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,941 in New York, NY versus $2,767 in Amherst, MA.

New York, NY $4,941
Amherst, MA $2,767

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,225 in New York, NY versus $4,275 in Amherst, MA.

New York, NY $7,225
Amherst, MA $4,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,509 in New York, NY versus $5,783 in Amherst, MA.

New York, NY $9,509
Amherst, MA $5,783

Living in New York, NY is roughly 79% more expensive than in Amherst, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 263% above, Amherst, MA 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.55 $28.55

$20.05 $20.05

42.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$70.8 $70.8

67.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$8.90 $8.90

68.99%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$4.79 $4.79

36.33%

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

$3.96 $3.96

$2.69 $2.69

47.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.06 $2.06

46.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.16 $8.16

$5.97 $5.97

36.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.84 $9.84

$10.41 $10.41

-5.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.06 $1.06

29.25%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.21 $3.21

54.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$7.00 $7.00

11.57%

Eggs

$5.97 $5.97

$4.69 $4.69

27.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$16.50 $16.50

14.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.04 $18.04

$15.78 $15.78

14.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.05 $19.05

$18.29 $18.29

4.16%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.70 $4.70

43.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.45 $1.45

56.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$3.25 $3.25

110.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.60 $4.60

54.13%

Potato (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.27 $3.27

29.05%

Onion (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$3.71 $3.71

25.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.30 $2.30

24.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.02 $2.02

28.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.77 $18.77

$10.69 $10.69

75.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.13 $20.13

$12.14 $12.14

65.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.98 $1.98

74.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.92 $3.92

2.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.29 $1.29

125.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$28.34 $28.34

390.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.56 $3.56

-13.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.42 $1.42

49.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$29.78 $29.78

40.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.99 $0.99

18.18%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.5K $27.5K

25.24%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.95%

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

$219 $219

$213 $213

3.04%

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

$74.2 $74.2

$56.5 $56.5

31.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$87.9 $87.9

-20.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 $112

$121 $121

-7.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.9 $74.9

$6.90 $6.90

984.93%

Cinema Ticket

$22.14 $22.14

$10.65 $10.65

107.89%

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

$3,558 $3,558

$1,466 $1,466

142.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$62.2K $62.2K

$17.2K $17.2K

262.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.6 $75.6

$45.22 $45.22

67.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$40.24 $40.24

27.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$91.6 $91.6

34.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$110 $110

27.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,499 $4,499

$1,821 $1,821

147.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,078 $3,078

$1,346 $1,346

128.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,447 $9,447

$3,829 $3,829

146.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,190 $5,190

$2,708 $2,708

91.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.1K $18.1K

$3,969 $3,969

356.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,693 $6,693

$4,035 $4,035

65.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$4,660 $4,660

12.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.1

12.46%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 26, 2026

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 62.3%

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7% 56.3% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$563 11.4%

Amherst, MA

$434 15.7% 23% $129

Eating Out

New York, NY

$440 8.9%

Amherst, MA

$314 11.4% 28.6% $126

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Amherst, MA

$357 12.9% 1.8% $6.5

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$175 3.6%

Amherst, MA

$129 4.7% 26.5% $46

Getting Around

New York, NY

$164 3.3%

Amherst, MA

$44 1.6% 73.1% $120

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$156 3.2%

Amherst, MA

$143 5.2% 8.7% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,499 in New York, NY and $1,821 in Amherst, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 12% 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: $118 in New York, NY vs $71 in Amherst, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $563 vs $434 per month, with Amherst, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🕒 Local time

09:35 9:35 AM

Same time as New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

37,819

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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New York, NY Amherst, MA 240 km

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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

New York, NY vs Amherst, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amherst, MA is about 44% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% higher in New York, NY, 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: $4,499 in New York, NY versus $1,821 in Amherst, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,558 in New York, NY versus $1,466 in Amherst, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Amherst, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.