Cost of Living Comparison Between Colima and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Colima and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,038 in Colima versus $1,715 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,721 in Colima versus $2,683 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,403 in Colima versus $3,652 in Monterrey.

Living in Colima costs roughly 39% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Colima is 24% below, Monterrey is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.97 MX$135

$14.60 MX$248

-45.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.99 MX$612

$53.5 MX$910

-32.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 MX$129

$11.95 MX$203

-36.32%

Cappuccino

$2.40 MX$40.76

$4.29 MX$72.9

-44.06%

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

$1.12 MX$19.07

$1.73 MX$29.35

-35.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 MX$16.27

$1.06 MX$18.08

-9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 MX$38.79

$2.95 MX$50.2

-22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$45.35

$4.73 MX$80.3

-43.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.00

$2.00 MX$33.93

-23.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 MX$48.86

$3.15 MX$53.5

-8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MX$26.01

$2.07 MX$35.10

-26.09%

Eggs

$2.58 MX$43.79

$2.78 MX$47.31

-7.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.09 MX$154

$13.18 MX$224

-31.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 MX$154

$10.11 MX$172

-10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$187

$13.97 MX$237

-21.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$53.4

$3.49 MX$59.3

-10.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MX$27.99

$1.64 MX$27.83

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MX$42.06

$2.28 MX$38.68

8.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 MX$46.62

$2.60 MX$44.15

5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 MX$42.07

$2.53 MX$43.04

-1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 MX$44.47

$2.85 MX$48.35

-8.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.56 MX$26.48

-1.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$20.05

$1.29 MX$21.89

-8.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 MX$67.0

$5.21 MX$88.5

-24.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 MX$148

$14.84 MX$252

-41.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.73

$2.01 MX$34.19

-15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$33.60

$3.13 MX$53.2

-36.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MX$12.62

$0.90 MX$15.23

-17.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.00 MX$357

$33.72 MX$573

-37.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 MX$46.36

$1.85 MX$31.49

47.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 MX$50.4

$1.19 MX$20.28

149.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.40 MX$296

$11.82 MX$201

47.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MX$25.28

$1.67 MX$28.45

-10.78%

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

$22.4K MX$381.4K

$22.6K MX$383.6K

-0.56%

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

$24.0K MX$407.5K

$27.1K MX$460.7K

-11.55%

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

$71.1 MX$1,208

$128 MX$2,176

-44.49%

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

$22.15 MX$376

$28.03 MX$476

-20.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.84 MX$558

$28.47 MX$484

15.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.89 MX$661

$32.66 MX$555

19.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.58 MX$401

$23.24 MX$395

1.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$84.6

$5.58 MX$94.8

-10.75%

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

$160 MX$2,720

$734 MX$12.5K

-78.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,716 MX$46.1K

$12.1K MX$205.9K

-77.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.85 MX$796

$79.5 MX$1,351

-41.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.98 MX$526

$46.39 MX$788

-33.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MX$1,421

$120 MX$2,038

-30.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,839

$133 MX$2,267

-18.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 MX$4,778

$1,052 MX$17.9K

-73.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 MX$4,915

$739 MX$12.6K

-60.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 MX$6,816

$2,020 MX$34.3K

-80.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 MX$10.9K

$1,358 MX$23.1K

-52.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,486 MX$76.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,663 MX$45.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$311 MX$5,282

$1,153 MX$19.6K

-73.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.56

-2.25%

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

Last update for Colima: August 30, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Colima and $1,052 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 271% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Colima vs $54.0 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $333 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.

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

Colima vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colima and Monterrey differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,038 vs $1,715 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 271% lower in Monterrey. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $281 in Colima versus $1,052 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Colima runs roughly 61% less than in Monterrey. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $160 in Colima versus $734 in Monterrey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,038 in Colima versus $1,715 in Monterrey, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Colima and Monterrey are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.