Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belvidere, IL and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,599 a month against $2,359 in Belvidere, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Belvidere, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,359
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,599
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,359 per month in Belvidere, IL vs $1,599 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Belvidere, IL $2,359
  • Monterrey $1,599

A couple spends around $3,373 per month in Belvidere, IL vs $2,493 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Belvidere, IL $3,373
  • Monterrey $2,493

A family of three spends $4,387 per month in Belvidere, IL vs $3,387 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Belvidere, IL $4,387
  • Monterrey $3,387

Belvidere, IL costs about 48% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Belvidere, IL and Monterrey sit above the global median – Belvidere, IL by 74%, Monterrey by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belvidere, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.07 $11.07
$13.80 MX$255
-19.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.63 $47.63
$47.99 MX$887
-0.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.85 $7.85
$10.65 MX$197
-26.29%
Cappuccino
$5.01 $5.01
$3.99 MX$73.7
25.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 $1.23
$1.66 MX$30.76
-25.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 $1.52
$0.99 MX$18.21
53.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.58 $4.58
$2.36 MX$43.64
94.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.09 $6.09
$4.43 MX$81.8
37.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belvidere, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.69 $0.69
$1.82 MX$33.58
-62.09%
White Bread (500g)
$1.34 $1.34
$2.83 MX$52.4
-52.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.72 $4.72
$1.92 MX$35.44
145.83%
Eggs
$2.48 $2.48
$2.48 MX$45.78
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$11.74 MX$217
-64.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.66 $10.66
$9.10 MX$168
17.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.47 $16.47
$12.53 MX$232
31.44%
Apples (1kg)
$5.03 $5.03
$3.34 MX$61.6
50.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 $1.10
$1.57 MX$29.10
-29.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.26 $5.26
$2.16 MX$39.86
143.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.71 $1.71
$2.47 MX$45.65
-30.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 $1.53
$2.31 MX$42.64
-33.77%
Onion (1kg)
$0.83 $0.83
$2.68 MX$49.47
-69.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.46 MX$26.90
-34.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.19 MX$22.07
70.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.83 $5.83
$4.75 MX$87.8
22.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.14 $11.14
$13.58 MX$251
-17.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.92 MX$35.52
12.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 $3.24
$2.88 MX$53.2
12.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Belvidere, IL
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.04 $2.04
$0.79 MX$14.66
158.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$31.36 MX$579
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.43 $3.43
$1.59 MX$29.44
115.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.91 $1.91
$1.06 MX$19.58
80.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.63 $44.63
$10.80 MX$200
313.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 $0.84
$1.55 MX$28.59
-45.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.9K $32.9K
$24.2K MX$446.4K
36.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4K $27.4K
$24.3K MX$449.4K
12.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belvidere, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 $202
$117 MX$2,159
73.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.29 $44.29
$26.38 MX$488
67.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.0 $70.0
$26.04 MX$481
168.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belvidere, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 $41.94
$30.26 MX$559
38.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.25 MX$393
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.04 $8.04
$5.23 MX$96.6
53.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belvidere, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$696 $696
$673 MX$12.4K
3.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.4K $21.4K
$11.1K MX$205.2K
93.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belvidere, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.38 $49.38
$72.1 MX$1,332
-31.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.1 $62.1
$42.38 MX$783
46.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 $120
$112 MX$2,066
7.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 $88.4
$119 MX$2,200
-25.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belvidere, IL
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,597 $1,597
$949 MX$17.5K
68.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,301 $1,301
$666 MX$12.3K
95.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,537 $2,537
$1,821 MX$33.7K
39.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,187 $2,187
$1,271 MX$23.5K
72.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,757 $2,757
$4,050 MX$74.8K
-31.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,356 $2,356
$2,348 MX$43.4K
0.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belvidere, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,155 MX$21.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.63
11.79
-43.77%

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

Last update for Belvidere, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Belvidere, IL
$1.3K
Monterrey
$666 48.8% $634
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belvidere, IL
$317
Monterrey
$169 46.6% $147
Groceries & Markets
Belvidere, IL
$300
Monterrey
$304 1.6% $4.8
Eating Out
Belvidere, IL
$218
Monterrey
$221 1.4% $3.1
Clothing & Footwear
Belvidere, IL
$144
Monterrey
$155 7.9% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Belvidere, IL
$58
Monterrey
$41 29.8% $17
Getting Around
Belvidere, IL
$21 *
Monterrey
$41 95.8% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Belvidere, IL versus $949 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 $48.00 in Belvidere, IL versus $48.00 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $304 – making Belvidere, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Belvidere, IL
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
22:55 10:55 PM
21:55 9:55 PM
1 h behind Belvidere, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,585
1,142,994
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belvidere, IL Monterrey 2,120 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Belvidere, IL
  • 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
Belvidere, IL vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Belvidere, IL or Monterrey?
Belvidere, IL costs about 48% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Belvidere, IL and in Monterrey?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,538 per month in Belvidere, IL and $2,399 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Belvidere, IL or Monterrey?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Monterrey, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Belvidere, IL compared to Monterrey?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,359 in Belvidere, IL and $1,599 in Monterrey. That's a gap of about 48%.
How do childcare costs compare in Belvidere, IL and in Monterrey?
Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Belvidere, IL and $673 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Belvidere, IL or in Monterrey?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,599, than in Belvidere, IL at $2,359. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belvidere, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Belvidere, IL or Monterrey?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Monterrey costs $1,599 versus $2,359 in Belvidere, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Belvidere, IL compared to Monterrey?
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.
Should I move to Belvidere, IL or to Monterrey?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belvidere, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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