Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Matamoros Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Matamoros

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,149 in Guadalajara versus $1,141 in Matamoros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,858 in Guadalajara versus $1,822 in Matamoros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,568 in Guadalajara versus $2,503 in Matamoros.

Living in Guadalajara is roughly 1% more expensive than in Matamoros, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guadalajara 14% lower, Matamoros 15% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guadalajara
Matamoros
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.71 MX$188
$10.71 MX$188
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.63 MX$660
$39.22 MX$688
-4.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.08 MX$142
$7.96 MX$140
1.51%
Cappuccino
$3.24 MX$56.8
$3.28 MX$57.5
-1.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$24.00
$1.29 MX$22.69
6.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.86
$0.99 MX$17.31
-9.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.14 MX$37.51
$2.31 MX$40.53
-7.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 MX$67.7
$3.80 MX$66.7
1.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guadalajara
Matamoros
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 MX$24.31
$1.48 MX$26.01
-6.08%
White Bread (500g)
$2.69 MX$47.25
$2.54 MX$44.47
5.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 MX$29.53
$1.55 MX$27.24
8.39%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$44.58
$2.29 MX$40.19
10.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.19 MX$161
$8.06 MX$141
14.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.91 MX$139
$8.05 MX$141
-1.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.98 MX$175
$10.54 MX$185
-5.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 MX$47.39
$2.60 MX$45.65
3.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 MX$25.67
$1.39 MX$24.37
5.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.72
$1.71 MX$30.03
9.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.51 MX$26.52
$1.65 MX$28.88
-8.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.71 MX$30.01
$1.90 MX$33.31
-10.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.86
$1.93 MX$33.87
3.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 MX$24.20
$1.20 MX$20.96
15.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$19.60
$1.02 MX$17.90
9.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.56 MX$80.0
$4.22 MX$74.0
8.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.22 MX$197
$9.35 MX$164
20.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 MX$27.36
$1.59 MX$27.97
-1.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 MX$56.7
$2.86 MX$50.2
12.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Guadalajara
Matamoros
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.52 MX$9.11
$0.66 MX$11.59
-21.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.06 MX$457
$31.35 MX$550
-16.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.66 MX$46.69
$2.54 MX$44.57
4.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 MX$28.30
$1.53 MX$26.86
5.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.77 MX$206
$8.24 MX$145
42.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 MX$23.31
$1.31 MX$23.06
1.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.6K MX$413.5K
$21.5K MX$376.6K
9.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2K MX$424.0K
$22.1K MX$387.0K
9.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guadalajara
Matamoros
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$30.98 MX$543
$55.9 MX$981
-44.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.74 MX$416
$22.23 MX$390
6.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.13 MX$476
$28.55 MX$501
-4.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guadalajara
Matamoros
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.02 MX$597
$36.49 MX$640
-6.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.92 MX$349
$16.00 MX$281
24.50%
Cinema Ticket
$4.85 MX$85.1
$4.73 MX$82.9
2.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guadalajara
Matamoros
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$189 MX$3,320
$211 MX$3,708
-10.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,333 MX$111.1K
$3,092 MX$54.2K
104.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guadalajara
Matamoros
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.35 MX$866
$52.2 MX$915
-5.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.8 MX$891
$39.14 MX$686
29.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.8 MX$1,750
$91.3 MX$1,601
9.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.1 MX$1,633
$78.4 MX$1,376
18.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guadalajara
Matamoros
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$720 MX$12.6K
$508 MX$8,911
41.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$438 MX$7,690
$389 MX$6,824
12.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,321 MX$23.2K
$930 MX$16.3K
42.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$847 MX$14.8K
$772 MX$13.5K
9.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,277 MX$57.5K
$2,055 MX$36.0K
59.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,021 MX$35.5K
$1,333 MX$23.4K
51.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guadalajara
Matamoros
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$797 MX$14.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.48
11.48
-

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

Last update for Guadalajara: July 12, 2026

Last update for Matamoros: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $720 in Guadalajara and $508 in Matamoros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Guadalajara vs $39.00 in Matamoros. Groceries flip the comparison at $257 vs $247, with Matamoros cheaper for home cooking.

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
Guadalajara vs Matamoros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Guadalajara or Matamoros?
Matamoros wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Guadalajara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Matamoros the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Guadalajara and in Matamoros?
You'd need roughly $1,723 in Guadalajara and $1,711 in Matamoros to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Guadalajara compared to Matamoros?
Rent for a central apartment: $720 in Guadalajara versus $508 in Matamoros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Guadalajara or in Matamoros?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Guadalajara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Guadalajara and in Matamoros?
Dining out is cheaper in Matamoros – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $38.00 in Guadalajara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Guadalajara or in Matamoros?
At $1,141 in Matamoros versus $1,149 in Guadalajara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Matamoros but tight or insufficient in Guadalajara. The gap between the two cities makes Matamoros the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Guadalajara or Matamoros?
Both work as nomad bases, but Matamoros delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,141 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Matamoros hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Matamoros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Guadalajara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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