Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Ajijic vs $1,601 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Ajijic vs $2,585 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,696 per month in Ajijic vs $3,568 in Monterrey, rent included.

Ajijic is about 26% cheaper than Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ajijic sits 12% below the global median, while Monterrey is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 MX$137

$13.01 MX$225

-39.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.68 MX$600

$53.8 MX$930

-35.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MX$118

$10.21 MX$177

-33.40%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MX$58.0

$3.68 MX$63.7

-8.97%

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

$1.07 MX$18.53

$1.46 MX$25.30

-26.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MX$14.66

$1.00 MX$17.28

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 MX$31.55

$2.70 MX$46.62

-32.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MX$54.5

$4.27 MX$73.9

-26.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.44

$1.67 MX$28.81

-18.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 MX$39.33

$2.68 MX$46.35

-15.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 MX$18.69

$1.93 MX$33.35

-44.04%

Eggs

$2.00 MX$34.58

$2.63 MX$45.49

-23.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$10.34 MX$179

-21.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 MX$125

$9.22 MX$159

-21.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 MX$118

$13.84 MX$239

-50.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.31

$3.15 MX$54.5

-31.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.41

$1.39 MX$24.01

-35.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 MX$15.77

$2.00 MX$34.59

-54.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.44

$2.14 MX$37.03

-34.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$2.27 MX$39.19

-39.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MX$17.98

$2.54 MX$44.00

-59.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 MX$14.99

$1.57 MX$27.09

-44.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.28

$1.07 MX$18.49

-22.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$70.4

$4.25 MX$73.5

-4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 MX$161

$14.36 MX$248

-35.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.24

$1.78 MX$30.81

-21.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.05

$3.14 MX$54.4

-46.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.56

$0.80 MX$13.87

-23.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.54 MX$701

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 MX$18.85

$1.68 MX$29.06

-35.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 MX$27.38

$0.94 MX$16.28

68.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 MX$55.1

$10.76 MX$186

-70.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.37 MX$23.68

-4.38%

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

$18.8K MX$324.7K

$26.7K MX$462.6K

-29.80%

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

$18.9K MX$326.6K

$25.6K MX$442.5K

-26.19%

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

$44.74 MX$774

$122 MX$2,104

-63.23%

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

$16.21 MX$280

$27.19 MX$470

-40.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 MX$442

$29.82 MX$516

-14.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.01 MX$415

$38.49 MX$666

-37.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 MX$90.7

$21.46 MX$371

-75.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$74.2

$5.92 MX$102

-27.53%

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

$179 MX$3,095

$346 MX$5,979

-48.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,654 MX$45.9K

$8,997 MX$155.6K

-70.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.62 MX$720

$58.4 MX$1,010

-28.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.17 MX$280

$42.55 MX$736

-62.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 MX$1,128

$109 MX$1,892

-40.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.1 MX$935

$129 MX$2,231

-58.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 MX$14.0K

$913 MX$15.8K

-11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 MX$10.9K

$647 MX$11.2K

-2.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 MX$27.6K

$1,565 MX$27.1K

2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 MX$24.2K

-0.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,248 MX$56.2K

$4,371 MX$75.6K

-25.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,742 MX$30.1K

$2,839 MX$49.1K

-38.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 MX$10.1K

$1,104 MX$19.1K

-47.19%

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 Ajijic: June 2, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Ajijic versus $913 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 89% 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 $35.00 in Ajijic versus $54.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $298 – making Ajijic 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

Ajijic vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Monterrey is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,773 per month in Ajijic and $2,402 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ajijic, 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 $1,182 in Ajijic and $1,601 in Monterrey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Ajijic and $346 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ajijic, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in Monterrey at $1,601. In Ajijic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ajijic. 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.