Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,599 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index
77

Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index

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Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Des Moines, IA 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 Des Moines, IA and in Monterrey actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,599 in Monterrey.

Des Moines, IA $2,171
Monterrey $1,599

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,493 in Monterrey.

Des Moines, IA $3,236
Monterrey $2,493

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Des Moines, IA versus $3,387 in Monterrey.

Des Moines, IA $4,301
Monterrey $3,387

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 36% more expensive than in Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Des Moines, IA 60% above, Monterrey 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$13.80 MX$255

42.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$47.99 MX$887

68.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$10.65 MX$197

14.74%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$3.99 MX$73.7

54.39%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$1.66 MX$30.76

76.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.99 MX$18.21

158.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.36 MX$43.64

111.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.43 MX$81.8

32.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.82 MX$33.58

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.83 MX$52.4

7.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.92 MX$35.44

76.04%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$2.48 MX$45.78

61.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$11.74 MX$217

-17.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$9.10 MX$168

8.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$12.53 MX$232

9.18%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.34 MX$61.6

29.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.57 MX$29.10

-3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.16 MX$39.86

110.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.47 MX$45.65

48.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.31 MX$42.64

32.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.68 MX$49.47

-20.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.46 MX$26.90

63.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.19 MX$22.07

84.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.75 MX$87.8

65.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$13.58 MX$251

8.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.92 MX$35.52

-11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.88 MX$53.2

7.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.79 MX$14.66

118.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$31.36 MX$579

85.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.59 MX$29.44

23.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.06 MX$19.58

16.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$10.80 MX$200

82.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.55 MX$28.59

-40.00%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$24.2K MX$446.4K

12.50%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$24.3K MX$449.4K

3.41%

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

$185 $185

$117 MX$2,159

58.03%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$26.38 MX$488

103.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$26.04 MX$481

169.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$30.26 MX$559

110.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$21.25 MX$393

-5.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$5.23 MX$96.6

91.01%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$673 MX$12.4K

76.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$11.1K MX$205.2K

7.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$72.1 MX$1,332

-17.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.98 $42.98

$42.38 MX$783

1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$112 MX$2,066

-9.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$119 MX$2,200

21.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$949 MX$17.5K

23.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$666 MX$12.3K

30.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$1,821 MX$33.7K

-4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$1,271 MX$23.5K

9.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 $2,320

$4,050 MX$74.8K

-42.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$2,348 MX$43.4K

-0.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$1,155 MX$21.3K

215.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

11.79

-44.36%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2%

Monterrey

$666 41.7% 23.6% $206

Groceries & Markets

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1%

Monterrey

$304 19% 12.9% $45

Eating Out

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1%

Monterrey

$221 13.9% 32.2% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2%

Monterrey

$169 10.6% 45.1% $139

Clothing & Footwear

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2%

Monterrey

$155 9.7% 0.9% $1.4

Sport & Entertainment

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9%

Monterrey

$41 2.6% 51.4% $43

Getting Around

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4%

Monterrey

$41 2.6% 43.4% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,177 in Des Moines, IA and $949 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 216% 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: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $48.00 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $304 per month, with Monterrey cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🕒 Local time

05:13 5:13 AM

04:13 4:13 AM

1 h behind Des Moines, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

214,133

1,142,994

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Des Moines, IA Monterrey 1,860 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Des Moines, IA
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

Des Moines, IA vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Monterrey the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 216% higher in Des Moines, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,177 in Des Moines, IA versus $949 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Monterrey – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,599 in Monterrey – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,599 in Monterrey versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Monterrey but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Monterrey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Monterrey delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,599 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Monterrey hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA 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 Monterrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.