Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $2,701 in Burlington, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Burlington, Canada
Monterrey, Mexico
Burlington
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,701
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,701 per month in Burlington vs $1,641 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Burlington $2,701
  • Monterrey $1,641

A couple spends around $3,861 per month in Burlington vs $2,573 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Burlington $3,861
  • Monterrey $2,573

A family of three spends $5,021 per month in Burlington vs $3,504 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Burlington $5,021
  • Monterrey $3,504

Burlington costs about 65% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Burlington and Monterrey sit above the global median – Burlington by 100%, Monterrey by 21%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Burlington
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.06 CA$29.52
$13.37 MX$251
57.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.5 CA$102
$47.95 MX$900
51.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.86 CA$15.23
$10.79 MX$203
0.65%
Cappuccino
$3.28 CA$4.60
$3.77 MX$70.7
-13.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 CA$2.80
$1.51 MX$28.37
31.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 CA$2.16
$1.03 MX$19.33
49.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.84 CA$8.18
$2.48 MX$46.60
135.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.42 CA$9.00
$4.36 MX$81.8
47.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Burlington
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.69 CA$3.77
$1.89 MX$35.58
42.33%
White Bread (500g)
$2.91 CA$4.08
$2.85 MX$53.5
2.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.80 CA$5.33
$1.86 MX$34.86
104.30%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.09
$2.47 MX$46.31
46.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 CA$14.01
$11.81 MX$222
-15.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.37 CA$13.14
$8.97 MX$168
4.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.73 CA$20.65
$12.57 MX$236
17.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.64 CA$5.11
$3.20 MX$60.0
13.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 CA$2.16
$1.50 MX$28.23
2.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.63 CA$3.69
$2.12 MX$39.90
24.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.66 CA$5.13
$2.33 MX$43.82
57.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 CA$2.65
$2.22 MX$41.75
-14.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.95 CA$2.73
$2.58 MX$48.54
-24.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.08 CA$2.91
$1.45 MX$27.15
43.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 CA$2.09
$1.22 MX$22.94
22.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.83 CA$17.98
$4.80 MX$90.1
167.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.66 CA$14.94
$13.30 MX$250
-19.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.77 CA$3.89
$1.93 MX$36.28
43.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 CA$4.09
$2.86 MX$53.6
2.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Burlington
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.65 CA$3.71
$0.80 MX$15.00
231.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$98.8 CA$138
$30.94 MX$581
219.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.95 CA$6.93
$1.83 MX$34.42
170.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 CA$2.99
$1.06 MX$19.86
100.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.26 CA$55.0
$10.82 MX$203
262.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 CA$1.68
$1.47 MX$27.65
-18.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.2K
$24.1K MX$452.3K
16.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K CA$30.9K
$23.5K MX$442.0K
-6.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Burlington
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 CA$214
$115 MX$2,152
32.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.84 CA$62.9
$26.37 MX$495
70.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.3 CA$95.7
$25.70 MX$483
165.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Burlington
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.18 CA$61.9
$30.53 MX$573
44.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.82 CA$41.79
$21.27 MX$400
40.20%
Cinema Ticket
$16.43 CA$23.03
$4.96 MX$93.1
231.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Burlington
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$885 CA$1,241
$679 MX$12.7K
30.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.2K CA$28.3K
$14.2K MX$266.4K
42.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Burlington
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.0 CA$98.2
$72.2 MX$1,356
-3.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.6 CA$91.9
$41.94 MX$788
56.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.8 CA$137
$107 MX$2,019
-9.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.7 CA$137
$119 MX$2,228
-17.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Burlington
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,719 CA$2,409
$1,018 MX$19.1K
68.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,448 CA$2,030
$722 MX$13.6K
100.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,623 CA$3,677
$1,966 MX$36.9K
33.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,194 CA$3,076
$1,416 MX$26.6K
54.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,216 CA$7,311
$4,203 MX$78.9K
24.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,125 CA$5,782
$2,782 MX$52.2K
48.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Burlington
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,291 CA$4,613
$1,096 MX$20.6K
200.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.52
11.79
-61.66%

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

Last update for Burlington: November 2, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Burlington
$1.4K
Monterrey
$722 50.2% $726
Groceries & Markets
Burlington
$340
Monterrey
$302 11.1% $38
Eating Out
Burlington
$297
Monterrey
$216 27.3% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Burlington
$265
Monterrey
$167 37.2% $99
Clothing & Footwear
Burlington
$149
Monterrey
$153 2.8% $4.2
Getting Around
Burlington
$125
Monterrey
$41 67% $84
Sport & Entertainment
Burlington
$77
Monterrey
$40 47.5% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,719 in Burlington 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 Burlington are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72 in Burlington versus $48 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $302 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Burlington
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
06:52 6:52 AM
05:52 5:52 AM
1 h behind Burlington
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
183,314
1,142,994
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.09 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Burlington Monterrey 2,700 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Burlington
  • 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
Burlington vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monterrey cheaper than Burlington?
Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 65%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,051 per month in Burlington 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 $1,719 in Burlington.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $885 per month in Burlington and $679 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Burlington and in Monterrey?
Groceries cost about 12% more in Burlington, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $3,000 enough for either Burlington or Monterrey?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,701 in Burlington and $1,641 in Monterrey, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Burlington or Monterrey more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Monterrey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
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, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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