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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,841 in New York, NY versus $3,006 in Amherst, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,287 in New York, NY versus $4,373 in Amherst, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,734 in New York, NY versus $5,739 in Amherst, MA.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 61% more expensive than in Amherst, MA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 254% above, Amherst, MA 120% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 $25.33

$19.78 $19.78

28.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 $142

$76.3 $76.3

86.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.78 $13.78

$9.48 $9.48

45.36%

Cappuccino

$6.19 $6.19

$4.70 $4.70

31.70%

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

$3.69 $3.69

$2.62 $2.62

40.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.98 $1.98

49.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$5.94 $5.94

30.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$10.69 $10.69

-5.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.02 $1.02

36.27%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.20 $3.20

43.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$5.33 $5.33

30.21%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$4.54 $4.54

27.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 $17.32

$16.58 $16.58

4.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.04 $15.04

$15.78 $15.78

-4.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.02 $18.02

$18.70 $18.70

-3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$4.88 $4.88

28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.45 $1.45

46.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.40 $3.40

70.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$4.58 $4.58

37.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$3.27 $3.27

3.67%

Onion (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.52 $3.52

21.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.31 $2.31

19.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.04 $2.04

25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.70 $18.70

$10.67 $10.67

75.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.30 $20.30

$11.88 $11.88

70.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.06 $2.06

52.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.43 $3.43

17.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.29 $1.29

130.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$27.88 $27.88

396.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.58 $3.58

-13.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.35 $1.35

58.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.56 $41.56

$30.36 $30.36

36.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.97 $0.97

16.49%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$36.2K $36.2K

-2.19%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.5K $25.5K

0.26%

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

$236 $236

$214 $214

10.20%

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

$73.7 $73.7

$57.8 $57.8

27.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$84.6 $84.6

-14.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$125 $125

$120 $120

4.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$63.1 $63.1

$6.93 $6.93

809.96%

Cinema Ticket

$23.37 $23.37

$10.30 $10.30

126.89%

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

$3,353 $3,353

$1,516 $1,516

121.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.0K $61.0K

$16.9K $16.9K

261.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$44.90 $44.90

61.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.2 $52.2

$39.65 $39.65

31.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$91.0 $91.0

28.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$110 $110

12.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,438 $4,438

$1,806 $1,806

145.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,045 $3,045

$1,638 $1,638

85.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,088 $9,088

$3,877 $3,877

134.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,404 $5,404

$2,648 $2,648

104.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.8K $18.8K

$4,021 $4,021

367.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,500 $6,500

$4,083 $4,083

59.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,258 $5,258

$4,734 $4,734

11.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.1

6.39%

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

Last update for New York, NY: September 12, 2026

Last update for Amherst, MA: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,438 in New York, NY and $1,806 in Amherst, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 11% 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: $142 in New York, NY vs $76.0 in Amherst, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $516 vs $428 per month, with Amherst, MA cheaper across the board.

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 cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% 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: $4,438 in New York, NY versus $1,806 in Amherst, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,353 in New York, NY versus $1,516 in Amherst, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% 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.

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

Safety-wise, New York, NY 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 61% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.