Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elmira, NY and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $1,925 in Elmira, NY, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Elmira, NY, United States
Monterrey, Mexico
Elmira, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$1,925
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,925 per month in Elmira, NY vs $1,641 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Elmira, NY $1,925
  • Monterrey $1,641

A couple spends around $2,747 per month in Elmira, NY vs $2,573 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Elmira, NY $2,747
  • Monterrey $2,573

A family of three spends $3,568 per month in Elmira, NY vs $3,504 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Elmira, NY $3,568
  • Monterrey $3,504

Elmira, NY costs about 17% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Elmira, NY and Monterrey sit above the global median – Elmira, NY by 42%, Monterrey by 21%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Elmira, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.75 $8.75
$13.37 MX$250
-34.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$96.8 $96.8
$47.95 MX$897
101.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.84 $11.84
$10.79 MX$202
9.73%
Cappuccino
$4.89 $4.89
$3.77 MX$70.4
29.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 $2.40
$1.51 MX$28.26
58.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.03 MX$19.25
42.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.03 $4.03
$2.48 MX$46.41
62.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.07 $5.07
$4.36 MX$81.5
16.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Elmira, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.81 $0.81
$1.89 MX$35.43
-57.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.50 $2.50
$2.85 MX$53.3
-12.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.53 $5.53
$1.86 MX$34.71
197.31%
Eggs
$2.72 $2.72
$2.47 MX$46.12
10.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.99 $12.99
$11.81 MX$221
9.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.89 $9.89
$8.97 MX$168
10.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.38 $13.38
$12.57 MX$235
6.44%
Apples (1kg)
$4.80 $4.80
$3.20 MX$59.8
50.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.50 MX$28.12
-28.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.42 $4.42
$2.12 MX$39.74
108.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.29 $5.29
$2.33 MX$43.64
127.04%
Potato (1kg)
$2.66 $2.66
$2.22 MX$41.58
19.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.97 $2.97
$2.58 MX$48.34
15.12%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.42 $2.42
$1.45 MX$27.04
66.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 $2.33
$1.22 MX$22.85
90.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.13 $13.13
$4.80 MX$89.7
173.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.16 $18.16
$13.30 MX$249
36.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.93 MX$36.14
3.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 $4.04
$2.86 MX$53.4
41.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Elmira, NY
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.80 MX$14.94
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$30.94 MX$579
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.17 $5.17
$1.83 MX$34.28
182.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.21 $2.21
$1.06 MX$19.78
108.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.99 $44.99
$10.82 MX$202
315.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.47 MX$27.54
-25.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K $33.8K
$24.1K MX$450.4K
40.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K $26.1K
$23.5K MX$440.2K
10.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elmira, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 $149
$115 MX$2,144
29.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.5 $53.5
$26.37 MX$493
102.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.0 $67.0
$25.70 MX$481
160.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Elmira, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.73 $24.73
$30.53 MX$571
-19.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.27 MX$398
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.19 $10.19
$4.96 MX$92.8
105.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Elmira, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,271 $1,271
$679 MX$12.7K
87.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.1K $25.1K
$14.2K MX$265.3K
77.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Elmira, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.77 $32.77
$72.2 MX$1,350
-54.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.44 $45.44
$41.94 MX$784
8.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 $77.9
$107 MX$2,011
-27.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 $113
$119 MX$2,219
-4.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Elmira, NY
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,181 $1,181
$1,018 MX$19.0K
16.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$888 $888
$722 MX$13.5K
23.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,524 $1,524
$1,966 MX$36.8K
-22.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,120 $1,120
$1,416 MX$26.5K
-20.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,172 $1,172
$4,203 MX$78.6K
-72.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,181 $1,181
$2,782 MX$52.0K
-57.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Elmira, NY
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$8,341 $8,341
$1,096 MX$20.5K
661.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.52
11.79
-44.70%

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

Last update for Elmira, NY: November 1, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Elmira, NY
$888
Monterrey
$722 18.8% $167
Groceries & Markets
Elmira, NY
$375
Monterrey
$302 19.4% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Elmira, NY
$269
Monterrey
$167 38.1% $103
Eating Out
Elmira, NY
$210
Monterrey
$216 2.8% $5.8
Clothing & Footwear
Elmira, NY
$121
Monterrey
$153 26.6% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Elmira, NY
$45
Monterrey
$40 10.4% $4.7
Getting Around
Elmira, NY
$16 *
Monterrey
$41 154% $25

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,181 in Elmira, NY versus $1,018 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 in Elmira, NY are about 7.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Elmira, NY versus $48 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $302 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Elmira, NY
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
18:17 6:17 PM
17:17 5:17 PM
1 h behind Elmira, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,523
1,142,994
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.7 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.9 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Elmira, NY Monterrey 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Elmira, NY
  • 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
Elmira, NY vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Elmira, NY and in Monterrey compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,925 in Elmira, NY, $1,641 in Monterrey – Monterrey comes out roughly 15% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Elmira, NY compared to Monterrey?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,888 per month in Elmira, NY and $2,461 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Elmira, NY and Monterrey?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Monterrey, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,018 there versus $1,181 in Elmira, NY.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $97 in Elmira, NY and $48 in Monterrey. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 24% more in Elmira, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How far does $3,000 go in Elmira, NY compared to Monterrey?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,925 in Elmira, NY and $1,641 in Monterrey, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Elmira, NY or Monterrey?
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.
How do I decide between Elmira, NY and Monterrey?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Elmira, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Elmira, NY vs other spots: cost of living compared

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