Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Acuna and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Acuna: $1,203 a month against $1,641 in Monterrey, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Acuna, Mexico
Monterrey, Mexico
Acuna
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,203
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Acuna and in Monterrey

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

A single person spends $1,203 per month in Acuna vs $1,641 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Acuna $1,203
  • Monterrey $1,641

A couple spends around $1,872 per month in Acuna vs $2,573 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Acuna $1,872
  • Monterrey $2,573

A family of three spends $2,540 per month in Acuna vs $3,504 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Acuna $2,540
  • Monterrey $3,504

Acuna is about 27% cheaper than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Acuna sits 11% below the global median, while Monterrey is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Acuna
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.82 MX$204
$13.37 MX$252
-19.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.78 MX$805
$47.95 MX$902
-10.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.73 MX$164
$10.79 MX$203
-19.09%
Cappuccino
$3.49 MX$65.6
$3.77 MX$70.9
-7.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$26.29
$1.51 MX$28.43
-7.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 MX$18.67
$1.03 MX$19.37
-3.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 MX$46.88
$2.48 MX$46.70
0.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.92 MX$73.8
$4.36 MX$82.0
-10.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Acuna
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.56 MX$29.27
$1.89 MX$35.65
-17.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.58 MX$48.47
$2.85 MX$53.6
-9.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MX$30.88
$1.86 MX$34.93
-11.83%
Eggs
$2.45 MX$46.18
$2.47 MX$46.41
-0.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.25 MX$155
$11.81 MX$222
-30.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$150
$8.97 MX$169
-11.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.30 MX$213
$12.57 MX$237
-10.10%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 MX$49.13
$3.20 MX$60.1
-18.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 MX$29.43
$1.50 MX$28.29
4.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 MX$34.64
$2.12 MX$39.99
-13.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$33.57
$2.33 MX$43.91
-23.61%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$38.40
$2.22 MX$41.84
-8.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.82 MX$34.32
$2.58 MX$48.64
-29.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 MX$26.89
$1.45 MX$27.20
-1.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$21.10
$1.22 MX$22.99
-8.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 MX$79.0
$4.80 MX$90.3
-12.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.27 MX$193
$13.30 MX$250
-22.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 MX$33.65
$1.93 MX$36.36
-7.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 MX$59.5
$2.86 MX$53.7
10.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Acuna
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.62 MX$11.64
$0.80 MX$15.03
-22.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.62 MX$557
$30.94 MX$582
-4.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.54 MX$47.84
$1.83 MX$34.49
38.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.93 MX$36.28
$1.06 MX$19.90
82.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.78 MX$203
$10.82 MX$204
-0.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 MX$24.80
$1.47 MX$27.71
-10.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K MX$437.6K
$24.1K MX$453.2K
-3.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$445.8K
$23.5K MX$442.9K
0.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Acuna
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.2 MX$1,077
$115 MX$2,157
-50.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.85 MX$430
$26.37 MX$496
-13.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.20 MX$549
$25.70 MX$484
13.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Acuna
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.41 MX$610
$30.53 MX$575
6.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.22 MX$381
$21.27 MX$400
-4.94%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97 MX$93.5
$4.96 MX$93.3
0.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Acuna
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$218 MX$4,101
$679 MX$12.8K
-67.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,512 MX$84.9K
$14.2K MX$266.9K
-68.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Acuna
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.3 MX$1,022
$72.2 MX$1,359
-24.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.96 MX$752
$41.94 MX$789
-4.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.7 MX$1,838
$107 MX$2,023
-9.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,685
$119 MX$2,233
-24.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Acuna
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$596 MX$11.2K
$1,018 MX$19.1K
-41.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$436 MX$8,212
$722 MX$13.6K
-39.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 MX$19.6K
$1,966 MX$37.0K
-47.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$751 MX$14.1K
$1,416 MX$26.6K
-46.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,911 MX$36.0K
$4,203 MX$79.1K
-54.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,107 MX$20.8K
$2,782 MX$52.4K
-60.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Acuna
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,096 MX$20.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.31
11.79
-4.07%

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

Last update for Acuna: November 1, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Acuna
$436
Monterrey
$722 65.3% $285
Groceries & Markets
Acuna
$260
Monterrey
$302 16.4% $43
Eating Out
Acuna
$184
Monterrey
$216 17% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Acuna
$127
Monterrey
$153 20.9% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Acuna
$109
Monterrey
$167 52.5% $57
Getting Around
Acuna
$44
Monterrey
$41 6.8% $3
Sport & Entertainment
Acuna
$42
Monterrey
$40 4.5% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $596 in Acuna versus $1,018 in Monterrey. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Acuna versus $48 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $302 – making Acuna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Acuna
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
21:22 9:22 PM
21:22 9:22 PM
Same time as Acuna
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
160,225
1,142,994
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.05 MXN (100 MXN = 4.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Acuna Monterrey 410 km
From you
  • Acuna
  • Monterrey

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
Acuna vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Acuna cheaper than Monterrey?
Yes – Monterrey is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Acuna and $2,461 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Acuna, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $596 there versus $1,018 in Monterrey.
What are total monthly expenses in Acuna and in Monterrey?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,203 in Acuna and $1,641 in Monterrey. That makes Acuna about 27% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 4% less in Acuna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Acuna or in Monterrey?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $1,203, than in Monterrey at $1,641. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Acuna or Monterrey more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Acuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Acuna is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 27% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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