Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,367 per month in Cancun vs $1,618 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,240 per month in Cancun vs $2,585 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,112 per month in Cancun vs $3,552 in Monterrey, rent included.

Cancun is about 16% cheaper than Monterrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cancun and Monterrey sit above the global median – Cancun by 2%, Monterrey by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 MX$234

$13.41 MX$234

-0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 MX$943

$52.7 MX$921

2.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 MX$176

$10.11 MX$177

-0.30%

Cappuccino

$3.56 MX$62.3

$3.73 MX$65.2

-4.56%

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

$1.58 MX$27.66

$1.44 MX$25.23

9.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.68

$1.00 MX$17.55

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 MX$52.0

$2.67 MX$46.66

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 MX$80.2

$4.20 MX$73.4

9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$25.11

$1.66 MX$29.10

-13.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 MX$43.77

$2.72 MX$47.48

-8.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 MX$32.19

$1.95 MX$34.07

-5.64%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.57

$2.66 MX$46.56

-1.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 MX$202

$10.21 MX$179

13.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 MX$147

$8.91 MX$156

-5.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 MX$192

$13.78 MX$241

-20.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.04 MX$53.1

3.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.58

$1.40 MX$24.53

16.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 MX$54.7

$2.02 MX$35.23

54.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.36

$2.07 MX$36.25

0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.15

$2.32 MX$40.53

-6.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$39.02

$2.55 MX$44.64

-12.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.51 MX$26.40

-28.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$23.13

$1.08 MX$18.87

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$74.4

$4.25 MX$74.2

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$14.28 MX$250

-26.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 MX$30.58

$1.79 MX$31.22

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 MX$46.02

$3.18 MX$55.5

-17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.30

$0.77 MX$13.50

-15.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 MX$1,033

$40.89 MX$715

44.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.34 MX$75.8

$1.76 MX$30.71

146.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.58 MX$45.20

$0.99 MX$17.34

160.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 MX$175

$10.39 MX$182

-3.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.34

$1.34 MX$23.47

-4.48%

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

$29.8K MX$520.8K

$26.6K MX$465.9K

11.79%

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

$23.7K MX$415.1K

$25.6K MX$446.9K

-7.11%

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

$115 MX$2,018

$121 MX$2,122

-4.87%

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

$22.90 MX$400

$27.40 MX$479

-16.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.36 MX$618

$29.75 MX$520

18.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.30 MX$442

$37.46 MX$655

-32.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 MX$427

$21.78 MX$381

12.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 MX$104

$5.75 MX$100

3.48%

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

$202 MX$3,533

$348 MX$6,079

-41.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,302 MX$92.7K

$8,983 MX$157.1K

-40.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 MX$947

$59.1 MX$1,034

-8.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.72 MX$695

$41.88 MX$732

-5.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 MX$1,437

$107 MX$1,874

-23.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,881

$128 MX$2,242

-16.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MX$10.9K

$889 MX$15.5K

-29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 MX$7,998

$646 MX$11.3K

-29.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 MX$22.4K

$1,577 MX$27.6K

-18.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$1,378 MX$24.1K

-29.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,287 MX$22.5K

$4,238 MX$74.1K

-69.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,030 MX$35.5K

$2,757 MX$48.2K

-26.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 MX$14.0K

$1,133 MX$19.8K

-29.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.55

-1.13%

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

Last update for Cancun: July 12, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Cancun versus $889 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 41% 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 $54.0 in Cancun versus $53.0 in Monterrey. Groceries tell a different story – $281 in Cancun vs $296 in Monterrey – so Cancun wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Cancun vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,367 in Cancun, $1,618 in Monterrey – roughly 18% apart. Monterrey costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,051 per month in Cancun and $2,428 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cancun, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Cancun and $348 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Monterrey, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cancun, where all-in costs run around $1,367, than in Monterrey at $1,618. In Cancun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cancun has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,367 in Cancun to $1,618 in Monterrey. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cancun. 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.