Cost of Living Comparison Between Cholula and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Cholula and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,021 per month in Cholula vs $1,574 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,575 per month in Cholula vs $2,529 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Cholula vs $3,484 in Monterrey, rent included.

Cholula is about 35% cheaper than Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cholula sits 24% below the global median, while Monterrey is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$206

$13.42 MX$230

-10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.85 MX$787

$53.9 MX$924

-14.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 MX$140

$10.32 MX$177

-20.93%

Cappuccino

$3.64 MX$62.5

$3.58 MX$61.4

1.68%

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

$1.18 MX$20.21

$1.43 MX$24.60

-17.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.71

$0.99 MX$17.00

-7.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$41.15

$2.59 MX$44.41

-7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 MX$71.5

$4.27 MX$73.4

-2.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.32

$1.67 MX$28.69

-14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$43.76

$2.64 MX$45.30

-3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MX$26.49

$1.87 MX$32.15

-17.65%

Eggs

$2.42 MX$41.48

$2.67 MX$45.90

-9.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 MX$122

$10.49 MX$180

-32.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 MX$111

$9.13 MX$157

-28.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$186

$13.85 MX$238

-21.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 MX$43.21

$3.04 MX$52.3

-17.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$23.58

$1.40 MX$24.09

-2.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.14

$2.12 MX$36.41

-22.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.37

$2.06 MX$35.33

-14.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.15

$2.23 MX$38.25

-23.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.43

$2.56 MX$43.99

-28.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.64

$1.53 MX$26.22

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$18.96

$1.07 MX$18.45

2.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$73.8

$4.13 MX$70.8

4.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 MX$243

$14.34 MX$246

-1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$22.29

$1.79 MX$30.68

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$48.88

$3.18 MX$54.5

-10.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.54

$0.77 MX$13.16

-20.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.36 MX$281

$40.85 MX$701

-59.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$55.8

$1.73 MX$29.77

87.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MX$21.35

$0.96 MX$16.44

29.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.45 MX$179

$10.72 MX$184

-2.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.56

$1.36 MX$23.36

-7.35%

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

$20.2K MX$346.4K

$26.5K MX$454.9K

-23.84%

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

$20.6K MX$354.3K

$25.9K MX$443.8K

-20.17%

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

$62.9 MX$1,080

$123 MX$2,113

-48.91%

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

$22.37 MX$384

$27.98 MX$480

-20.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.48 MX$437

$29.71 MX$510

-14.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.39 MX$607

$37.13 MX$637

-4.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 MX$270

$21.88 MX$376

-28.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 MX$90.5

$5.71 MX$97.9

-7.71%

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

$319 MX$5,478

$348 MX$5,972

-8.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,546 MX$60.9K

$8,997 MX$154.4K

-60.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 MX$877

$59.9 MX$1,028

-14.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.73 MX$733

$43.22 MX$742

-1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,915

$109 MX$1,878

2.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 MX$1,712

$130 MX$2,228

-23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 MX$6,270

$894 MX$15.3K

-59.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 MX$4,359

$656 MX$11.3K

-61.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MX$8,774

$1,578 MX$27.1K

-67.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 MX$6,473

$1,422 MX$24.4K

-73.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 MX$33.3K

$4,316 MX$74.1K

-55.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,240 MX$21.3K

$2,873 MX$49.3K

-56.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$853 MX$14.6K

$1,101 MX$18.9K

-22.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

11.55

-2.60%

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

Last update for Cholula: June 8, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Cholula versus $894 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 29% 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 $46.00 in Cholula versus $54.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $297 – making Cholula 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

Cholula vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey costs about 54% more than Cholula, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,531 per month in Cholula and $2,361 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Cholula and $54.0 in Monterrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,021 in Cholula and $1,574 in Monterrey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholula, where all-in costs run around $1,021, than in Monterrey at $1,574. In Cholula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cholula costs $1,021 versus $1,574 in Monterrey. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Cholula. 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.