Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hot Springs, AR and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,608 a month against $1,710 in Hot Springs, AR, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. The total is higher in Hot Springs, AR despite lower rent and utilities.

83

Cost of Living Index in Hot Springs, AR
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Hot Springs, AR Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index

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Hot Springs, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,710

/mo nomad

Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,710 per month in Hot Springs, AR vs $1,608 in Monterrey, rent included.

Hot Springs, AR $1,710
Monterrey $1,608

A couple spends around $2,571 per month in Hot Springs, AR vs $2,521 in Monterrey, rent included.

Hot Springs, AR $2,571
Monterrey $2,521

A family of three spends $3,432 per month in Hot Springs, AR vs $3,433 in Monterrey, rent included.

Hot Springs, AR $3,432
Monterrey $3,433

Hot Springs, AR costs about 6% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hot Springs, AR and Monterrey sit above the global median – Hot Springs, AR by 27%, Monterrey by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.17 $16.17

$13.85 MX$256

16.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$49.70 MX$918

38.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.35 $9.35

$11.05 MX$204

-15.38%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$4.09 MX$75.6

22.74%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$1.68 MX$30.97

64.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.03 MX$18.98

48.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.40 MX$44.28

102.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 $6.01

$4.35 MX$80.3

38.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.92 MX$35.55

-52.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.94 MX$54.2

1.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.88 MX$34.66

7.98%

Eggs

$2.31 $2.31

$2.55 MX$47.06

-9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 $10.88

$11.84 MX$219

-8.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$9.36 MX$173

36.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.27 $19.27

$13.10 MX$242

47.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.38 MX$62.5

6.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.52 MX$28.13

-9.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.19 MX$40.51

70.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.36 MX$43.63

57.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.26 MX$41.76

-20.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.73 MX$50.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.52 MX$28.17

53.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.24 MX$22.90

-12.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.54 $8.54

$4.75 MX$87.8

79.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.84 $18.84

$13.66 MX$252

37.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.89 MX$34.95

35.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.99 MX$55.2

52.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.85 MX$15.78

43.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.39 $28.39

$30.95 MX$572

-8.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.68 MX$30.98

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.13 MX$20.87

94.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.15 MX$206

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.56 MX$28.91

-44.23%

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

$16.8K $16.8K

$21.4K MX$395.8K

-21.73%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$25.1K MX$463.2K

-7.83%

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

$179 $179

$119 MX$2,206

49.80%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$26.21 MX$484

114.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.40 $39.40

$26.78 MX$495

47.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.69 $34.69

$31.03 MX$573

11.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.92 $9.92

$21.43 MX$396

-53.71%

Cinema Ticket

$10.13 $10.13

$5.29 MX$97.7

91.49%

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

$593 $593

$691 MX$12.8K

-14.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K MX$212.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.76 $40.76

$72.3 MX$1,335

-43.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 $40.11

$42.72 MX$789

-6.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$110 MX$2,024

-7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 $78.7

$117 MX$2,158

-32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 $722

$970 MX$17.9K

-25.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 $582

$664 MX$12.3K

-12.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,088 $1,088

$1,857 MX$34.3K

-41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 $905

$1,287 MX$23.8K

-29.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,950 $1,950

$4,162 MX$76.9K

-53.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 $1,942

$2,349 MX$43.4K

-17.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,532 $3,532

$1,146 MX$21.2K

208.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

11.79

-44.95%

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

Last update for Hot Springs, AR: October 13, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hot Springs, AR

$582 34%

Monterrey

$664 41.3% 14.1% $82

Groceries & Markets

Hot Springs, AR

$363 21.2%

Monterrey

$310 19.3% 14.5% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hot Springs, AR

$274 16%

Monterrey

$172 10.7% 37.2% $102

Eating Out

Hot Springs, AR

$271 15.9%

Monterrey

$225 14% 17.2% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Hot Springs, AR

$118 6.9%

Monterrey

$154 9.6% 30.6% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Hot Springs, AR

$55 3.2%

Monterrey

$42 2.6% 24.3% $13

Getting Around

Hot Springs, AR

$47 2.8%

Monterrey

$42 2.6% 11.4% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $722 in Hot Springs, AR versus $970 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 208% higher in Hot Springs, AR, 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 $69.0 in Hot Springs, AR versus $50.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $310 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hot Springs, AR

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🕒 Local time

04:10 4:10 AM

03:10 3:10 AM

1 h behind Hot Springs, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,930

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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 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 →

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Hot Springs, AR Monterrey 1,200 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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Hot Springs, AR
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

Hot Springs, AR vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hot Springs, AR costs about 6% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,565 per month in Hot Springs, AR and $2,412 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $593 per month in Hot Springs, AR and $691 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Hot Springs, AR, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,608, than in Hot Springs, AR at $1,710. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hot Springs, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Monterrey costs $1,608 versus $1,710 in Hot Springs, AR. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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