Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $974 per month in Acapulco vs $1,618 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,448 per month in Acapulco vs $2,585 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,921 per month in Acapulco vs $3,552 in Monterrey, rent included.

Acapulco is about 40% cheaper than Monterrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Acapulco sits 27% below the global median, while Monterrey is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 MX$187

$13.41 MX$235

-20.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.14 MX$564

$52.7 MX$924

-38.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.30 MX$198

$10.11 MX$177

11.77%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$63.3

$3.73 MX$65.4

-3.22%

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

$1.83 MX$32.12

$1.44 MX$25.31

27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$28.61

$1.00 MX$17.60

63.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 MX$46.93

$2.67 MX$46.81

0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 MX$82.8

$4.20 MX$73.6

12.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$28.20

$1.66 MX$29.19

-3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 MX$55.8

$2.72 MX$47.63

16.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$27.19

$1.95 MX$34.18

-20.51%

Eggs

$1.75 MX$30.64

$2.66 MX$46.71

-34.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 MX$112

$10.21 MX$179

-37.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 MX$143

$8.91 MX$156

-8.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 MX$183

$13.78 MX$242

-24.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 MX$76.7

$3.04 MX$53.3

43.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.97

$1.40 MX$24.60

22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 MX$56.6

$2.02 MX$35.34

59.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 MX$54.2

$2.07 MX$36.37

49.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 MX$57.3

$2.32 MX$40.66

40.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 MX$49.12

$2.55 MX$44.78

9.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$21.12

$1.51 MX$26.48

-20.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$14.22

$1.08 MX$18.93

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.79 MX$137

$4.25 MX$74.5

83.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 MX$118

$14.28 MX$250

-52.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.79 MX$31.32

-39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 MX$46.12

$3.18 MX$55.7

-17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.84

$0.77 MX$13.54

-5.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.89 MX$717

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 MX$73.8

$1.76 MX$30.81

139.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 MX$27.31

$0.99 MX$17.39

57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.48 MX$149

$10.39 MX$182

-18.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.22

$1.34 MX$23.55

-1.49%

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

$21.5K MX$377.5K

$26.6K MX$467.3K

-19.22%

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

$22.9K MX$401.1K

$25.6K MX$448.3K

-10.53%

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

$38.62 MX$677

$121 MX$2,128

-68.17%

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

$22.48 MX$394

$27.40 MX$481

-17.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.00 MX$368

$29.75 MX$522

-29.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.38 MX$322

$37.46 MX$657

-50.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.97 MX$228

$21.78 MX$382

-40.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.74 MX$65.6

$5.75 MX$101

-34.96%

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

$156 MX$2,732

$348 MX$6,098

-55.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,663 MX$64.2K

$8,983 MX$157.6K

-59.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 MX$1,106

$59.1 MX$1,037

6.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.08 MX$756

$41.88 MX$735

2.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$1,893

$107 MX$1,880

0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 MX$1,389

$128 MX$2,249

-38.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 MX$8,691

$889 MX$15.6K

-44.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 MX$4,146

$646 MX$11.3K

-63.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 MX$16.2K

$1,577 MX$27.7K

-41.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 MX$4,357

$1,378 MX$24.2K

-81.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,238 MX$74.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 MX$48.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 MX$8,393

$1,133 MX$19.9K

-57.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.55

-0.43%

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

Last update for Acapulco: July 11, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $495 in Acapulco versus $889 in Monterrey. 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 137% higher in Monterrey, 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 $32.00 in Acapulco versus $53.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $296 – making Acapulco 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

Acapulco vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey costs about 66% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,461 per month in Acapulco and $2,428 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acapulco, 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 $974 in Acapulco and $1,618 in Monterrey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Acapulco and $348 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $974, than in Monterrey at $1,618. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $974 versus $1,618 in Monterrey. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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