Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajax, ON and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $2,560 in Ajax, ON, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ajax, ON, Canada
Monterrey, Mexico
Ajax, ON
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,560
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ajax, ON 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 Ajax, ON and in Monterrey actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,560 per month in Ajax, ON vs $1,641 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Ajax, ON $2,560
  • Monterrey $1,641

A couple spends around $3,626 per month in Ajax, ON vs $2,573 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Ajax, ON $3,626
  • Monterrey $2,573

A family of three spends $4,692 per month in Ajax, ON vs $3,504 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Ajax, ON $4,692
  • Monterrey $3,504

Ajax, ON costs about 56% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ajax, ON and Monterrey sit above the global median – Ajax, ON by 89%, Monterrey by 21%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ajax, ON
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.74 CA$25.06
$13.37 MX$249
32.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.9 CA$74.8
$47.95 MX$892
10.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.92 CA$15.43
$10.79 MX$201
1.20%
Cappuccino
$3.76 CA$5.31
$3.77 MX$70.0
-0.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 CA$2.57
$1.51 MX$28.09
20.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 CA$2.25
$1.03 MX$19.14
54.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.51 CA$4.96
$2.48 MX$46.14
41.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.86 CA$8.29
$4.36 MX$81.0
34.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ajax, ON
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 CA$2.84
$1.89 MX$35.23
6.35%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 CA$4.27
$2.85 MX$53.0
5.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.40 CA$4.81
$1.86 MX$34.52
82.80%
Eggs
$3.84 CA$5.42
$2.47 MX$45.86
55.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.64 CA$15.03
$11.81 MX$220
-9.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.61 CA$16.41
$8.97 MX$167
29.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.22 CA$24.33
$12.57 MX$234
36.99%
Apples (1kg)
$4.03 CA$5.69
$3.20 MX$59.4
25.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 CA$2.37
$1.50 MX$27.96
11.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.31 CA$4.67
$2.12 MX$39.52
56.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.35 CA$4.73
$2.33 MX$43.39
43.78%
Potato (1kg)
$2.32 CA$3.28
$2.22 MX$41.34
4.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.37 CA$3.35
$2.58 MX$48.07
-8.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.25 CA$3.18
$1.45 MX$26.88
55.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 CA$2.73
$1.22 MX$22.72
58.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.26 CA$20.15
$4.80 MX$89.2
197.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.39 CA$18.91
$13.30 MX$247
0.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 CA$3.01
$1.93 MX$35.93
10.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 CA$3.48
$2.86 MX$53.1
-13.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Ajax, ON
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.39 CA$3.37
$0.80 MX$14.85
198.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.4 CA$122
$30.94 MX$575
179.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 CA$4.43
$1.83 MX$34.08
71.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.41 CA$1.99
$1.06 MX$19.66
33.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.40 CA$30.24
$10.82 MX$201
97.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 CA$1.70
$1.47 MX$27.39
-18.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K CA$40.7K
$24.1K MX$447.9K
19.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K CA$30.1K
$23.5K MX$437.7K
-9.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ajax, ON
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$128 CA$181
$115 MX$2,132
11.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.21 CA$41.27
$26.37 MX$490
10.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.0 CA$83.4
$25.70 MX$478
129.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ajax, ON
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.00 CA$46.62
$30.53 MX$568
8.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.86 CA$15.34
$21.27 MX$396
-48.94%
Cinema Ticket
$10.01 CA$14.14
$4.96 MX$92.2
101.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ajax, ON
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$514 CA$727
$679 MX$12.6K
-24.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K CA$32.9K
$14.2K MX$263.8K
64.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ajax, ON
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.0 CA$72.1
$72.2 MX$1,343
-29.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.2 CA$75.2
$41.94 MX$780
26.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.3 CA$135
$107 MX$1,999
-11.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 CA$147
$119 MX$2,207
-12.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ajax, ON
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,526 CA$2,156
$1,018 MX$18.9K
49.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,418 CA$2,003
$722 MX$13.4K
96.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,271 CA$3,209
$1,966 MX$36.6K
15.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,164 CA$3,057
$1,416 MX$26.3K
52.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,203 MX$78.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,782 MX$51.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ajax, ON
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,065 CA$4,330
$1,096 MX$20.4K
179.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.8
11.79
-59.29%

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

Last update for Ajax, ON: 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
Ajax, ON
$1.4K
Monterrey
$722 49.1% $697
Groceries & Markets
Ajax, ON
$367
Monterrey
$302 17.7% $65
Eating Out
Ajax, ON
$263
Monterrey
$216 17.8% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ajax, ON
$216
Monterrey
$167 23% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Ajax, ON
$137
Monterrey
$153 12% $16
Getting Around
Ajax, ON
$106
Monterrey
$41 61.1% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Ajax, ON
$53
Monterrey
$40 23.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,526 in Ajax, ON 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.

Salaries in Ajax, ON are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53 in Ajax, ON versus $48 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $302 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Ajax, ON
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
21:52 9:52 PM
20:52 8:52 PM
1 h behind Ajax, ON
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
119,677
1,142,994
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.708 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 CAD (1 CAD = 0.633 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 18.6 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.78 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ajax, ON Monterrey 2,790 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ajax, ON
  • 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
Ajax, ON vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monterrey cheaper than Ajax, ON?
Yes – Ajax, ON is pricier by about 56%, 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 $3,840 per month in Ajax, ON 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 Monterrey, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,018 there versus $1,526 in Ajax, ON.
What are total monthly expenses in Ajax, ON and in Monterrey?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,560 in Ajax, ON and $1,641 in Monterrey. That makes Monterrey about 36% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 64% less in Monterrey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $3,000 enough for either Ajax, ON or Monterrey?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,560 in Ajax, ON and $1,641 in Monterrey, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Ajax, ON or in Monterrey?
It depends on your priorities. Monterrey has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,641 in Monterrey to $2,560 in Ajax, ON. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajax, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Ajax, ON vs other spots: cost of living compared

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