Cost of Living Comparison Between Taos, NM and Merthyr Tydfil Cost of Living Comparison Between Taos, NM and Merthyr Tydfil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,800 per month in Taos, NM vs $2,208 in Merthyr Tydfil, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,244 per month in Taos, NM vs $3,061 in Merthyr Tydfil, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,688 per month in Taos, NM vs $3,915 in Merthyr Tydfil, rent included.

Taos, NM costs about 27% more than Merthyr Tydfil, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Taos, NM and Merthyr Tydfil sit above the global median – Taos, NM by 109%, Merthyr Tydfil by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 $17.23

$20.20 £15.01

-14.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 $81.6

$62.0 £46.07

31.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.78 $9.78

$8.12 £6.04

20.44%

Cappuccino

$4.01 $4.01

$3.72 £2.77

7.80%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.29 £1.70

0.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.74 £1.30

1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$5.16 £3.83

-2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 $5.55

$4.54 £3.37

22.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.85 £1.38

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.68 £1.25

72.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.82 £2.09

16.31%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$5.49 £4.08

-27.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 $12.79

$14.52 £10.80

-11.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.18 $10.18

$8.93 £6.64

14.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.58 $16.58

$14.14 £10.51

17.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$4.08 £3.03

16.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.54 £1.15

-6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.17 £2.35

18.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$5.71 £4.24

-22.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.64 £1.22

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.98 £1.48

27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.05 £0.78

93.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.06 £1.53

7.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$19.75 £14.68

-49.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 $14.21

$11.99 £8.91

18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$3.47 £2.58

-49.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$4.59 £3.41

-42.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.39 £2.52

-41.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 £75.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$8.32 £6.18

-58.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.45 £1.08

23.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.97 $28.97

$33.77 £25.10

-14.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.91 £1.42

-58.12%

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

$31.0K $31.0K

$37.7K £28.0K

-17.87%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$44.8K £33.3K

-41.20%

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

$173 $173

$380 £282

-54.35%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$18.76 £13.95

177.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 $67.6

$47.49 £35.30

42.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.7 $95.7

$45.79 £34.04

109.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.12 $9.12

$14.68 £10.91

-37.87%

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

$1,210 $1,210

$1,754 £1,304

-31.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,891 $5,891

$18.3K £13.6K

-67.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$94.1 £70.0

-43.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$52.9 £39.29

-3.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 $98.5

$92.9 £69.1

6.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$120 £88.9

-4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 $1,671

$812 £604

105.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,610 $1,610

$781 £580

106.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,490 $3,490

$1,181 £878

195.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,012 $3,012

$1,033 £768

191.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,498 $4,498

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,385 $4,385

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,734 $2,734

$1,606 £1,194

70.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

5.74

13.07%

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

Last update for Taos, NM: June 1, 2026

Last update for Merthyr Tydfil: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,671 in Taos, NM versus $812 in Merthyr Tydfil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 70% higher in Taos, NM, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Taos, NM versus $62.0 in Merthyr Tydfil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $358 – making Merthyr Tydfil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Taos, NM vs Merthyr Tydfil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,800 in Taos, NM, $2,208 in Merthyr Tydfil – roughly 27% apart. Taos, NM costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,200 per month in Taos, NM and $3,311 in Merthyr Tydfil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merthyr Tydfil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,800 in Taos, NM and $2,208 in Merthyr Tydfil. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,210 per month in Taos, NM and $1,754 in Merthyr Tydfil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Merthyr Tydfil, where all-in costs run around $2,208, than in Taos, NM at $2,800. In Merthyr Tydfil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taos, NM it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Merthyr Tydfil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Merthyr Tydfil. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Taos, NM makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.