Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguascalientes and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguascalientes and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,016 in Aguascalientes versus $1,618 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Aguascalientes versus $2,585 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,058 in Aguascalientes versus $3,552 in Monterrey.

Living in Aguascalientes costs roughly 37% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aguascalientes is 24% below, Monterrey is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 MX$143

$13.41 MX$234

-39.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.16 MX$597

$52.7 MX$921

-35.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 MX$121

$10.11 MX$177

-31.75%

Cappuccino

$3.36 MX$58.7

$3.73 MX$65.2

-9.92%

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

$1.11 MX$19.49

$1.44 MX$25.23

-22.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.32

$1.00 MX$17.55

-18.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 MX$31.99

$2.67 MX$46.66

-31.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 MX$55.7

$4.20 MX$73.4

-24.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.55

$1.66 MX$29.10

-18.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$37.55

$2.72 MX$47.48

-20.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.60

$1.95 MX$34.07

-22.05%

Eggs

$1.95 MX$34.10

$2.66 MX$46.56

-26.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 MX$144

$10.21 MX$179

-19.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 MX$130

$8.91 MX$156

-16.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 MX$169

$13.78 MX$241

-29.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.60

$3.04 MX$53.1

-25.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MX$16.08

$1.40 MX$24.53

-34.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.52

$2.02 MX$35.23

-55.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MX$25.40

$2.07 MX$36.25

-29.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 MX$24.03

$2.32 MX$40.53

-40.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MX$16.52

$2.55 MX$44.64

-63.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MX$16.19

$1.51 MX$26.40

-38.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.27

$1.08 MX$18.87

-24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.7

$4.25 MX$74.2

-0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.37 MX$164

$14.28 MX$250

-34.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 MX$26.57

$1.79 MX$31.22

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MX$47.28

$3.18 MX$55.5

-15.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.67

$0.77 MX$13.50

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.62 MX$396

$40.89 MX$715

-44.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MX$17.99

$1.76 MX$30.71

-41.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MX$16.45

$0.99 MX$17.34

-5.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.9

$10.39 MX$182

-68.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.74

$1.34 MX$23.47

-7.46%

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

$21.6K MX$377.5K

$26.6K MX$465.9K

-18.96%

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

$23.4K MX$409.7K

$25.6K MX$446.9K

-8.32%

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

$44.95 MX$786

$121 MX$2,122

-62.96%

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

$20.27 MX$354

$27.40 MX$479

-26.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.48 MX$411

$29.75 MX$520

-21.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.07 MX$438

$37.46 MX$655

-33.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.91 MX$383

$21.78 MX$381

0.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 MX$72.1

$5.75 MX$100

-28.35%

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

$184 MX$3,219

$348 MX$6,079

-47.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,607 MX$45.6K

$8,983 MX$157.1K

-70.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 MX$928

$59.1 MX$1,034

-10.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.73 MX$625

$41.88 MX$732

-14.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 MX$1,473

$107 MX$1,874

-21.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 MX$959

$128 MX$2,242

-57.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,824

$889 MX$15.5K

-56.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MX$6,605

$646 MX$11.3K

-41.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 MX$10.3K

$1,577 MX$27.6K

-62.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 MX$10.2K

$1,378 MX$24.1K

-57.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 MX$21.0K

$4,238 MX$74.1K

-71.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,227 MX$21.5K

$2,757 MX$48.2K

-55.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 MX$15.9K

$1,133 MX$19.8K

-19.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

11.55

-2.68%

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

Last update for Aguascalientes: July 12, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Aguascalientes and $889 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 25% 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: $34.00 in Aguascalientes vs $53.0 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $296 per month, with Aguascalientes 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

Aguascalientes vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguascalientes is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Monterrey. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $390 in Aguascalientes versus $889 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Aguascalientes runs roughly 81% less than in Monterrey. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $184 in Aguascalientes versus $348 in Monterrey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,016 in Aguascalientes versus $1,618 in Monterrey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Aguascalientes but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Aguascalientes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Aguascalientes and Monterrey 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 Aguascalientes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.