Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuautla and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuautla and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,172 in Cuautla versus $1,601 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,862 in Cuautla versus $2,585 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,552 in Cuautla versus $3,568 in Monterrey.

Living in Cuautla costs roughly 27% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cuautla is 13% below, Monterrey is 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cuautla
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.58 MX$166
$13.01 MX$225
-26.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.16 MX$798
$53.8 MX$930
-14.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.11 MX$140
$10.21 MX$177
-20.57%
Cappuccino
$3.71 MX$64.2
$3.68 MX$63.7
0.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$21.91
$1.46 MX$25.30
-13.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 MX$16.68
$1.00 MX$17.28
-4.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 MX$42.01
$2.70 MX$46.62
-10.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 MX$71.9
$4.27 MX$73.9
-2.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuautla
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 MX$27.48
$1.67 MX$28.81
-4.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.57 MX$44.40
$2.68 MX$46.35
-4.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.45
$1.93 MX$33.35
3.11%
Eggs
$2.29 MX$39.58
$2.63 MX$45.49
-12.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$10.34 MX$179
-17.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.69 MX$168
$9.22 MX$159
5.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.22 MX$229
$13.84 MX$239
-4.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 MX$61.4
$3.15 MX$54.5
12.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$26.06
$1.39 MX$24.01
8.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.08
$2.00 MX$34.59
-7.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.03
$2.14 MX$37.03
-16.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.74 MX$30.09
$2.27 MX$39.19
-23.35%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 MX$32.59
$2.54 MX$44.00
-25.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.30 MX$22.55
$1.57 MX$27.09
-17.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 MX$19.05
$1.07 MX$18.49
2.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.34 MX$75.1
$4.25 MX$73.5
2.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.53 MX$303
$14.36 MX$248
22.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 MX$34.49
$1.78 MX$30.81
11.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 MX$57.4
$3.14 MX$54.4
5.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Cuautla
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 MX$11.25
$0.80 MX$13.87
-18.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$40.54 MX$701
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.6
$1.68 MX$29.06
87.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.19 MX$20.65
$0.94 MX$16.28
26.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.40 MX$163
$10.76 MX$186
-12.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 MX$21.06
$1.37 MX$23.68
-10.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K MX$341.3K
$26.7K MX$462.6K
-26.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.5K MX$354.9K
$25.6K MX$442.5K
-19.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuautla
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.8 MX$1,103
$122 MX$2,104
-47.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.66 MX$409
$27.19 MX$470
-12.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.67 MX$479
$29.82 MX$516
-7.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuautla
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.20 MX$626
$38.49 MX$666
-5.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.98 MX$276
$21.46 MX$371
-25.54%
Cinema Ticket
$6.06 MX$105
$5.92 MX$102
2.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuautla
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$321 MX$5,551
$346 MX$5,979
-7.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,797 MX$83.0K
$8,997 MX$155.6K
-46.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuautla
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.81 MX$862
$58.4 MX$1,010
-14.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.84 MX$741
$42.55 MX$736
0.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100.0 MX$1,729
$109 MX$1,892
-8.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.2 MX$1,664
$129 MX$2,231
-25.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuautla
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$513 MX$8,879
$913 MX$15.8K
-43.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,748
$647 MX$11.2K
-39.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$941 MX$16.3K
$1,565 MX$27.1K
-39.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$755 MX$13.1K
$1,401 MX$24.2K
-46.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,013 MX$34.8K
$4,371 MX$75.6K
-53.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,253 MX$21.7K
$2,839 MX$49.1K
-55.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuautla
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,104 MX$19.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.55
11.55
-

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

Last update for Cuautla: May 31, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $513 in Cuautla and $913 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Cuautla vs $54.0 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $298 per month, with Cuautla 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
Cuautla vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monterrey cheaper than Cuautla?
Cuautla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,758 in Cuautla and $2,402 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.
What is the rent difference between Cuautla and Monterrey?
Rent for a central apartment: $513 in Cuautla versus $913 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $321 in Cuautla versus $346 in Monterrey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Cuautla or Monterrey?
Dining out is cheaper in Cuautla – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $54.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Cuautla or Monterrey?
At $1,172 in Cuautla versus $1,601 in Monterrey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuautla but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Cuautla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cuautla or Monterrey more family-friendly?
For families, Cuautla 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cuautla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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