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: $1,219 in Cuajimalpa versus $1,715 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,978 in Cuajimalpa versus $2,683 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,738 in Cuajimalpa versus $3,652 in Monterrey.

Living in Cuajimalpa costs roughly 29% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cuajimalpa is 11% below, Monterrey is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.56 MX$195

$14.60 MX$246

-20.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.40 MX$800

$53.5 MX$904

-11.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 MX$150

$11.95 MX$202

-25.86%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$65.3

$4.29 MX$72.4

-9.79%

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

$1.45 MX$24.49

$1.73 MX$29.16

-16.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.48

$1.06 MX$17.96

2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 MX$49.19

$2.95 MX$49.86

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 MX$73.5

$4.73 MX$79.8

-7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$28.66

$2.00 MX$33.71

-15.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 MX$48.47

$3.15 MX$53.2

-8.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MX$29.40

$2.07 MX$34.87

-15.94%

Eggs

$2.55 MX$43.00

$2.78 MX$47.00

-8.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 MX$153

$13.18 MX$222

-31.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 MX$148

$10.11 MX$171

-13.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$13.97 MX$236

-9.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 MX$50.3

$3.49 MX$58.9

-14.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MX$28.54

$1.64 MX$27.66

3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.53

$2.28 MX$38.43

-12.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.04

$2.60 MX$43.87

-24.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.32

$2.53 MX$42.76

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.29

$2.85 MX$48.05

-32.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 MX$25.83

$1.56 MX$26.31

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.25

$1.29 MX$21.75

-6.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 MX$90.2

$5.21 MX$87.9

2.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 MX$196

$14.84 MX$251

-21.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 MX$32.71

$2.01 MX$33.98

-3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 MX$55.6

$3.13 MX$52.9

5.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MX$12.62

$0.90 MX$15.13

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.72 MX$569

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 MX$43.40

$1.85 MX$31.29

38.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 MX$32.72

$1.19 MX$20.15

63.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 MX$172

$11.82 MX$200

-13.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$25.79

$1.67 MX$28.27

-8.38%

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

$23.0K MX$388.6K

$22.6K MX$381.2K

1.96%

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

$27.8K MX$469.0K

$27.1K MX$457.8K

2.46%

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

$67.2 MX$1,134

$128 MX$2,162

-47.54%

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

$24.55 MX$414

$28.03 MX$473

-12.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.69 MX$603

$28.47 MX$481

25.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.66 MX$687

$32.66 MX$551

24.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.12 MX$340

$23.24 MX$392

-13.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.80 MX$81.0

$5.58 MX$94.2

-13.98%

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

$239 MX$4,042

$734 MX$12.4K

-67.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,487 MX$92.6K

$12.1K MX$204.6K

-54.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 MX$855

$79.5 MX$1,342

-36.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.64 MX$652

$46.39 MX$783

-16.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,925

$120 MX$2,025

-4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MX$1,708

$133 MX$2,253

-24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 MX$11.1K

$1,052 MX$17.8K

-37.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 MX$7,264

$739 MX$12.5K

-41.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 MX$16.7K

$2,020 MX$34.1K

-51.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$943 MX$15.9K

$1,358 MX$22.9K

-30.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,684 MX$28.4K

$4,486 MX$75.7K

-62.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 MX$20.8K

$2,663 MX$45.0K

-53.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,153 MX$19.5K

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 Cuajimalpa: September 1, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $660 in Cuajimalpa and $1,052 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Cuajimalpa vs $54.0 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $333 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, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,828 in Cuajimalpa and $2,572 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: $660 in Cuajimalpa versus $1,052 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $239 in Cuajimalpa versus $734 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 $47.00 versus $54.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,219 in Cuajimalpa versus $1,715 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 41% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.