Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Emporia, KS and Monterrey

For one person, living costs are similar in Emporia, KS and in Monterrey: $1,558 and $1,599 a month, rent and utilities included.

Emporia, KS
🇺🇸 United States
$1,558
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,599
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,558 per month in Emporia, KS vs $1,599 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Emporia, KS $1,558
  • Monterrey $1,599

A couple spends around $2,497 per month in Emporia, KS vs $2,493 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Emporia, KS $2,497
  • Monterrey $2,493

A family of three spends $3,435 per month in Emporia, KS vs $3,387 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Emporia, KS $3,435
  • Monterrey $3,387

Emporia, KS is about 3% cheaper than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Emporia, KS and Monterrey sit above the global median – Emporia, KS by 15%, Monterrey by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Emporia, KS
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.83 $15.83
$13.80 MX$255
14.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.6 $75.6
$47.99 MX$887
57.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.90 $11.90
$10.65 MX$197
11.74%
Cappuccino
$4.45 $4.45
$3.99 MX$73.7
11.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 $2.33
$1.66 MX$30.76
40.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$0.99 MX$18.21
70.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.05 $5.05
$2.36 MX$43.64
113.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.06 $6.06
$4.43 MX$81.8
36.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Emporia, KS
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.82 MX$33.58
-51.65%
White Bread (500g)
$3.30 $3.30
$2.83 MX$52.4
16.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 $1.92
$1.92 MX$35.44
-
Eggs
$2.85 $2.85
$2.48 MX$45.78
14.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.30 $8.30
$11.74 MX$217
-29.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.45 $8.45
$9.10 MX$168
-7.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.40 $14.40
$12.53 MX$232
14.92%
Apples (1kg)
$4.99 $4.99
$3.34 MX$61.6
49.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.57 MX$29.10
-23.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 $2.84
$2.16 MX$39.86
31.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.79 $2.79
$2.47 MX$45.65
12.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.64 $1.64
$2.31 MX$42.64
-29.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.76 $2.76
$2.68 MX$49.47
2.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.88 $1.88
$1.46 MX$26.90
28.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.32 $2.32
$1.19 MX$22.07
94.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.13 $9.13
$4.75 MX$87.8
92.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.49 $9.49
$13.58 MX$251
-30.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.92 MX$35.52
-4.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 $2.57
$2.88 MX$53.2
-10.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Emporia, KS
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.79 MX$14.66
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$31.36 MX$579
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.91 $4.91
$1.59 MX$29.44
208.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.82 $1.82
$1.06 MX$19.58
71.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.41 $34.41
$10.80 MX$200
218.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$1.55 MX$28.59
-42.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$24.2K MX$446.4K
14.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$24.3K MX$449.4K
6.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Emporia, KS
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$144 $144
$117 MX$2,159
23.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.93 $46.93
$26.38 MX$488
77.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.14 $49.14
$26.04 MX$481
88.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Emporia, KS
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.39 $44.39
$30.26 MX$559
46.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.25 MX$393
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.43 $12.43
$5.23 MX$96.6
137.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Emporia, KS
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$824 $824
$673 MX$12.4K
22.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.1K MX$205.2K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Emporia, KS
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.75 $48.75
$72.1 MX$1,332
-32.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.34 $25.34
$42.38 MX$783
-40.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.5 $89.5
$112 MX$2,066
-19.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.4 $83.4
$119 MX$2,200
-29.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Emporia, KS
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$685 $685
$949 MX$17.5K
-27.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$546 $546
$666 MX$12.3K
-18.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,752 $1,752
$1,821 MX$33.7K
-3.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,108 $1,108
$1,271 MX$23.5K
-12.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,251 $1,251
$4,050 MX$74.8K
-69.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,246 $1,246
$2,348 MX$43.4K
-46.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Emporia, KS
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,551 $5,551
$1,155 MX$21.3K
380.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.37
11.79
-45.97%

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

Last update for Emporia, KS: October 18, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Emporia, KS
$546
Monterrey
$666 22.1% $121
Groceries & Markets
Emporia, KS
$308
Monterrey
$304 1.1% $3.4
Eating Out
Emporia, KS
$269
Monterrey
$221 17.7% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Emporia, KS
$240
Monterrey
$169 29.6% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Emporia, KS
$111
Monterrey
$155 39.8% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Emporia, KS
$69
Monterrey
$41 41.2% $29
Getting Around
Emporia, KS
$14 *
Monterrey
$41 195% $27

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $685 in Emporia, KS versus $949 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 381% higher in Emporia, KS, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Emporia, KS versus $48.00 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $308 vs $304 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Emporia, KS
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
04:32 4:32 AM
03:32 3:32 AM
1 h behind Emporia, KS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,188
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 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Emporia, KS Monterrey 1,470 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Emporia, KS
  • 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
Emporia, KS vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Emporia, KS or Monterrey?
Monterrey costs about 3% more than Emporia, KS, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Emporia, KS and in Monterrey?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,337 per month in Emporia, KS and $2,399 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Emporia, KS or Monterrey?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Emporia, KS, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Emporia, KS and in Monterrey?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Emporia, KS and $48.00 in Monterrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Emporia, KS or in Monterrey?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Monterrey – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Emporia, KS or in Monterrey?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Emporia, KS, where all-in costs run around $1,558, than in Monterrey at $1,599. In Emporia, KS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Emporia, KS or Monterrey?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Emporia, KS costs $1,558 versus $1,599 in Monterrey. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Emporia, KS or to Monterrey?
If budget matters most, go with Emporia, KS. 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.

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