Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Ecatepec and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,175 per month in Ecatepec vs $1,618 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,897 per month in Ecatepec vs $2,585 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,620 per month in Ecatepec vs $3,552 in Monterrey, rent included.

Ecatepec is about 27% cheaper than Monterrey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ecatepec sits 12% below the global median, while Monterrey is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.27 MX$232

$13.41 MX$234

-1.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.90 MX$820

$52.7 MX$921

-10.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 MX$160

$10.11 MX$177

-9.40%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.4

$3.73 MX$65.2

-5.90%

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

$1.35 MX$23.64

$1.44 MX$25.23

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.31

$1.00 MX$17.55

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 MX$52.3

$2.67 MX$46.66

11.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$82.3

$4.20 MX$73.4

12.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.06

$1.66 MX$29.10

-16.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.74

$2.72 MX$47.48

-1.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.74

$1.95 MX$34.07

-4.10%

Eggs

$2.56 MX$44.69

$2.66 MX$46.56

-3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 MX$141

$10.21 MX$179

-20.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$8.91 MX$156

-6.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 MX$204

$13.78 MX$241

-15.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$50.6

$3.04 MX$53.1

-4.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 MX$30.00

$1.40 MX$24.53

22.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.34

$2.02 MX$35.23

2.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.07 MX$36.25

-3.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.33

$2.32 MX$40.53

-20.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 MX$40.09

$2.55 MX$44.64

-10.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.50

$1.51 MX$26.40

-3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.74

$1.08 MX$18.87

-0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MX$72.1

$4.25 MX$74.2

-2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.83 MX$294

$14.28 MX$250

17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$29.57

$1.79 MX$31.22

-5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.6

$3.18 MX$55.5

16.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.47

$0.77 MX$13.50

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.36 MX$513

$40.89 MX$715

-28.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 MX$28.53

$1.76 MX$30.71

-7.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$0.99 MX$17.34

-69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 MX$95.9

$10.39 MX$182

-47.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$22.09

$1.34 MX$23.47

-5.97%

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

$18.2K MX$318.0K

$26.6K MX$465.9K

-31.75%

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

$21.7K MX$379.5K

$25.6K MX$446.9K

-15.07%

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

$40.12 MX$702

$121 MX$2,122

-66.94%

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

$21.43 MX$375

$27.40 MX$479

-21.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.95 MX$524

$29.75 MX$520

0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.02 MX$438

$37.46 MX$655

-33.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.71 MX$187

$21.78 MX$381

-50.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 MX$109

$5.75 MX$100

8.00%

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

$341 MX$5,955

$348 MX$6,079

-2.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,633 MX$63.5K

$8,983 MX$157.1K

-59.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 MX$1,007

$59.1 MX$1,034

-2.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.16 MX$790

$41.88 MX$732

7.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,798

$107 MX$1,874

-4.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,879

$128 MX$2,242

-16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MX$8,877

$889 MX$15.5K

-42.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 MX$6,858

$646 MX$11.3K

-39.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$16.0K

$1,577 MX$27.6K

-41.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 MX$13.2K

$1,378 MX$24.1K

-45.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$808 MX$14.1K

$4,238 MX$74.1K

-80.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 MX$13.9K

$2,757 MX$48.2K

-71.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$576 MX$10.1K

$1,133 MX$19.8K

-49.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.55

-0.43%

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

Last update for Ecatepec: July 13, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $508 in Ecatepec versus $889 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 97% higher in Monterrey, 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 $47.00 in Ecatepec versus $53.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $296 – making Ecatepec the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ecatepec vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,175 in Ecatepec, $1,618 in Monterrey – roughly 38% apart. Monterrey costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,762 per month in Ecatepec and $2,428 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ecatepec, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Ecatepec and $53.0 in Monterrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,175 in Ecatepec and $1,618 in Monterrey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ecatepec, where all-in costs run around $1,175, than in Monterrey at $1,618. In Ecatepec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Monterrey has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,175 in Ecatepec to $1,618 in Monterrey. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ecatepec. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monterrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.