Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, IL and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,608 a month against $1,725 in Decatur, IL, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Decatur, IL despite lower rent and utilities.

Decatur, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$1,725
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Decatur, IL and in Monterrey

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Decatur, IL and in Monterrey actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,725 per month in Decatur, IL vs $1,608 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Decatur, IL $1,725
  • Monterrey $1,608

A couple spends around $2,654 per month in Decatur, IL vs $2,521 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Decatur, IL $2,654
  • Monterrey $2,521

A family of three spends $3,582 per month in Decatur, IL vs $3,433 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Decatur, IL $3,582
  • Monterrey $3,433

Decatur, IL costs about 7% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Decatur, IL and Monterrey sit above the global median – Decatur, IL by 28%, Monterrey by 19%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Decatur, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.96 $19.96
$13.85 MX$256
44.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.4 $83.4
$49.70 MX$918
67.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.74 $8.74
$11.05 MX$204
-20.90%
Cappuccino
$5.41 $5.41
$4.09 MX$75.6
32.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.68 MX$30.97
33.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.03 MX$18.98
61.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.02 $5.02
$2.40 MX$44.28
109.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.12 $6.12
$4.35 MX$80.3
40.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Decatur, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 $1.34
$1.92 MX$35.55
-30.21%
White Bread (500g)
$3.06 $3.06
$2.94 MX$54.2
4.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.88 MX$34.66
7.98%
Eggs
$4.74 $4.74
$2.55 MX$47.06
85.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.87 $13.87
$11.84 MX$219
17.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.86 $14.86
$9.36 MX$173
58.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$13.10 MX$242
-0.15%
Apples (1kg)
$4.31 $4.31
$3.38 MX$62.5
27.51%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.52 MX$28.13
32.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.03 $4.03
$2.19 MX$40.51
84.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.27 $3.27
$2.36 MX$43.63
38.56%
Potato (1kg)
$0.91 $0.91
$2.26 MX$41.76
-59.73%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 $1.09
$2.73 MX$50.5
-60.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 $1.48
$1.52 MX$28.17
-2.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.07 $3.07
$1.24 MX$22.90
147.58%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.87 $15.87
$4.75 MX$87.8
234.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.81 $14.81
$13.66 MX$252
8.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.89 MX$34.95
16.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.99 MX$55.2
-33.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Decatur, IL
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.85 MX$15.78
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$30.95 MX$572
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 $3.17
$1.68 MX$30.98
88.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.13 MX$20.87
25.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.28 $25.28
$11.15 MX$206
126.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 $1.16
$1.56 MX$28.91
-25.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.0K $37.0K
$21.4K MX$395.8K
72.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$25.1K MX$463.2K
1.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Decatur, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.6 $85.6
$119 MX$2,206
-28.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$67.2 $67.2
$26.21 MX$484
156.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.2 $60.2
$26.78 MX$495
124.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Decatur, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.7 $74.7
$31.03 MX$573
140.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.43 MX$396
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.82 $11.82
$5.29 MX$97.7
123.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Decatur, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,525 $1,525
$691 MX$12.8K
120.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.0K $32.0K
$11.5K MX$212.1K
178.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Decatur, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.1 $68.1
$72.3 MX$1,335
-5.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.5 $51.5
$42.72 MX$789
20.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 $101
$110 MX$2,024
-7.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 $144
$117 MX$2,158
23.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Decatur, IL
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$867 $867
$970 MX$17.9K
-10.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$551 $551
$664 MX$12.3K
-16.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$993 $993
$1,857 MX$34.3K
-46.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$805 $805
$1,287 MX$23.8K
-37.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$940 $940
$4,162 MX$76.9K
-77.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$941 $941
$2,349 MX$43.4K
-59.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Decatur, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,599 $4,599
$1,146 MX$21.2K
301.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.77
11.79
-42.58%

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

Last update for Decatur, IL: October 11, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Decatur, IL
$551
Monterrey
$664 20.4% $113
Groceries & Markets
Decatur, IL
$385
Monterrey
$310 19.3% $74
Eating Out
Decatur, IL
$304
Monterrey
$225 26.1% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Decatur, IL
$213
Monterrey
$172 19.1% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Decatur, IL
$164
Monterrey
$154 6.5% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Decatur, IL
$98
Monterrey
$42 57.7% $57
Getting Around
Decatur, IL
$10 *
Monterrey
$42 305% $31

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Decatur, IL versus $970 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 301% higher in Decatur, IL, 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 $83.0 in Decatur, IL versus $50.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $310 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Decatur, IL
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
18:40 6:40 PM
17:40 5:40 PM
1 h behind Decatur, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
77,047
1,142,994
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Decatur, IL Monterrey 1,900 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Decatur, IL
  • Monterrey

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Decatur, IL vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monterrey cheaper than Decatur, IL?
Yes – Decatur, IL is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,588 per month in Decatur, IL and $2,412 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Monterrey, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Decatur, IL or in Monterrey?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Decatur, IL and $50.0 in Monterrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Decatur, IL and in Monterrey?
Groceries cost about 24% more in Decatur, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Decatur, IL or in Monterrey?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,608, than in Decatur, IL at $1,725. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Decatur, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Decatur, IL or Monterrey more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Monterrey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Decatur, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Decatur, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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