Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuajimalpa and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuajimalpa and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,101 in Cuajimalpa versus $1,596 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,769 in Cuajimalpa versus $2,550 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,438 in Cuajimalpa versus $3,504 in Monterrey.

Living in Cuajimalpa costs roughly 31% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cuajimalpa is 18% below, Monterrey is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.61 MX$184

$13.45 MX$233

-21.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 MX$680

$52.8 MX$915

-25.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 MX$139

$10.25 MX$178

-21.95%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MX$55.6

$3.74 MX$64.8

-14.17%

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

$1.27 MX$22.04

$1.40 MX$24.28

-9.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.72

$1.04 MX$17.98

-6.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 MX$41.50

$2.66 MX$46.07

-10.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MX$68.7

$4.33 MX$75.1

-8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$26.03

$1.59 MX$27.59

-5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 MX$43.65

$2.62 MX$45.41

-3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.26

$1.94 MX$33.66

-15.98%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.16

$2.68 MX$46.39

-13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 MX$138

$10.37 MX$180

-23.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 MX$136

$9.24 MX$160

-15.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 MX$180

$13.47 MX$234

-22.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.25

$3.19 MX$55.3

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MX$25.18

$1.45 MX$25.06

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.22

$2.07 MX$35.92

-13.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.76

$2.07 MX$35.88

-22.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.53

$2.27 MX$39.37

-14.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.96

$2.57 MX$44.60

-21.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.72

$1.50 MX$26.00

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.59

$1.08 MX$18.68

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$4.29 MX$74.3

-5.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 MX$188

$11.95 MX$207

-9.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 MX$27.15

$1.72 MX$29.85

-8.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.98

$3.14 MX$54.4

-11.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.33

$0.82 MX$14.27

-20.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.89 MX$709

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$1.68 MX$29.18

57.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$27.72

$1.01 MX$17.45

58.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 MX$147

$10.41 MX$180

-18.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.98

$1.35 MX$23.31

-5.93%

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

$21.0K MX$364.0K

$25.9K MX$449.3K

-18.99%

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

$22.3K MX$386.0K

$26.2K MX$454.0K

-14.98%

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

$56.2 MX$974

$121 MX$2,095

-53.53%

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

$22.32 MX$387

$27.83 MX$482

-19.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.00 MX$485

$30.04 MX$521

-6.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 MX$621

$37.56 MX$651

-4.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 MX$280

$21.96 MX$381

-26.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MX$81.5

$5.75 MX$99.7

-18.26%

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

$208 MX$3,600

$336 MX$5,820

-38.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,536 MX$61.3K

$9,005 MX$156.0K

-60.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MX$934

$59.7 MX$1,034

-9.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.27 MX$680

$42.75 MX$741

-8.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 MX$1,583

$108 MX$1,875

-15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 MX$1,363

$127 MX$2,199

-38.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 MX$8,688

$908 MX$15.7K

-44.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 MX$6,741

$663 MX$11.5K

-41.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 MX$16.1K

$1,572 MX$27.2K

-40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 MX$13.2K

$1,424 MX$24.7K

-46.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,851 MX$32.1K

$4,254 MX$73.7K

-56.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,343 MX$23.3K

$2,862 MX$49.6K

-53.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,129 MX$19.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.55

-0.61%

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

Last update for Cuajimalpa: April 19, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Cuajimalpa and $908 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39 in Cuajimalpa vs $53 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $291 per month, with Cuajimalpa 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

Cuajimalpa vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cuajimalpa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,651 in Cuajimalpa and $2,393 in Monterrey to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $501 in Cuajimalpa versus $908 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $208 in Cuajimalpa versus $336 in Monterrey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cuajimalpa – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $53.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,101 in Cuajimalpa versus $1,596 in Monterrey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuajimalpa but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Cuajimalpa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cuajimalpa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Monterrey, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cuajimalpa 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 Cuajimalpa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.