Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,113 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,715 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,743 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,683 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,374 in Isla Mujeres versus $3,652 in Monterrey.

Living in Isla Mujeres costs roughly 35% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Isla Mujeres is 19% below, Monterrey is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 MX$177

$14.60 MX$246

-28.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.49 MX$650

$53.5 MX$904

-28.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 MX$132

$11.95 MX$202

-34.64%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MX$54.2

$4.29 MX$72.4

-25.17%

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

$1.29 MX$21.76

$1.73 MX$29.16

-25.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.14

$1.06 MX$17.96

-15.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MX$36.67

$2.95 MX$49.86

-26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 MX$66.8

$4.73 MX$79.8

-16.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$24.42

$2.00 MX$33.71

-27.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$44.27

$3.15 MX$53.2

-16.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.42

$2.07 MX$34.87

-24.64%

Eggs

$2.29 MX$38.59

$2.78 MX$47.00

-17.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 MX$136

$13.18 MX$222

-38.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 MX$129

$10.11 MX$171

-24.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 MX$180

$13.97 MX$236

-23.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 MX$43.56

$3.49 MX$58.9

-26.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$23.36

$1.64 MX$27.66

-15.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.89

$2.28 MX$38.43

-22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MX$27.77

$2.60 MX$43.87

-36.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.19

$2.53 MX$42.76

-26.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 MX$32.61

$2.85 MX$48.05

-32.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$1.56 MX$26.31

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$16.57

$1.29 MX$21.75

-24.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$70.1

$5.21 MX$87.9

-20.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.01 MX$186

$14.84 MX$251

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$26.27

$2.01 MX$33.98

-22.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MX$47.87

$3.13 MX$52.9

-9.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.45

$0.90 MX$15.13

-31.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.72 MX$569

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MX$44.40

$1.85 MX$31.29

42.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$25.95

$1.19 MX$20.15

29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 MX$142

$11.82 MX$200

-28.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.16

$1.67 MX$28.27

-25.15%

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

$20.8K MX$351.9K

$22.6K MX$381.2K

-7.67%

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

$22.6K MX$381.0K

$27.1K MX$457.8K

-16.76%

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

$56.7 MX$958

$128 MX$2,162

-55.71%

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

$22.16 MX$374

$28.03 MX$473

-20.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.44 MX$480

$28.47 MX$481

-0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 MX$616

$32.66 MX$551

11.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.79 MX$267

$23.24 MX$392

-32.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 MX$80.3

$5.58 MX$94.2

-14.70%

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

$209 MX$3,536

$734 MX$12.4K

-71.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,661 MX$61.8K

$12.1K MX$204.6K

-69.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 MX$894

$79.5 MX$1,342

-33.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.40 MX$682

$46.39 MX$783

-12.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 MX$1,508

$120 MX$2,025

-25.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MX$1,341

$133 MX$2,253

-40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MX$8,637

$1,052 MX$17.8K

-51.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MX$6,801

$739 MX$12.5K

-45.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 MX$16.0K

$2,020 MX$34.1K

-53.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 MX$12.8K

$1,358 MX$22.9K

-44.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 MX$29.7K

$4,486 MX$75.7K

-60.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 MX$19.5K

$2,663 MX$45.0K

-56.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,153 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.56

-0.69%

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

Last update for Isla Mujeres: August 29, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Isla Mujeres and $1,052 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Isla Mujeres vs $54.0 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $333 per month, with Isla Mujeres cheaper across the board.

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

Isla Mujeres vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isla Mujeres and Monterrey differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,113 vs $1,715 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,669 in Isla Mujeres and $2,572 in Monterrey 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $512 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,052 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Monterrey. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,113 per month in Isla Mujeres versus $1,715 in Monterrey – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,113 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,715 in Monterrey, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Isla Mujeres but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Isla Mujeres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Isla Mujeres and Monterrey are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Isla Mujeres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.