Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Key West, FL and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $4,773 in Key West, FL, rent and utilities included – about $37,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Key West, FL, United States
Monterrey, Mexico
Key West, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$4,773
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,773 per month in Key West, FL vs $1,641 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Key West, FL $4,773
  • Monterrey $1,641

A couple spends around $6,964 per month in Key West, FL vs $2,573 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Key West, FL $6,964
  • Monterrey $2,573

A family of three spends $9,154 per month in Key West, FL vs $3,504 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Key West, FL $9,154
  • Monterrey $3,504

Key West, FL costs about 191% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Key West, FL and Monterrey sit above the global median – Key West, FL by 253%, Monterrey by 21%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Key West, FL
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.10 $22.10
$13.37 MX$250
65.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$47.95 MX$897
110.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.93 $11.93
$10.79 MX$202
10.57%
Cappuccino
$4.47 $4.47
$3.77 MX$70.4
18.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$1.51 MX$28.26
56.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.03 MX$19.25
92.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.06 $6.06
$2.48 MX$46.41
144.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 $6.83
$4.36 MX$81.5
56.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Key West, FL
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.89 MX$35.43
-47.09%
White Bread (500g)
$3.68 $3.68
$2.85 MX$53.3
29.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.51 $6.51
$1.86 MX$34.71
250.00%
Eggs
$5.19 $5.19
$2.47 MX$46.12
110.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.30 $11.30
$11.81 MX$221
-4.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.69 $13.69
$8.97 MX$168
52.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.76 $23.76
$12.57 MX$235
89.02%
Apples (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$3.20 MX$59.8
55.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 $1.85
$1.50 MX$28.12
23.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.72 $3.72
$2.12 MX$39.74
75.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.11 $5.11
$2.33 MX$43.64
119.31%
Potato (1kg)
$6.04 $6.04
$2.22 MX$41.58
172.07%
Onion (1kg)
$3.27 $3.27
$2.58 MX$48.34
26.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.55 $3.55
$1.45 MX$27.04
144.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.67 $2.67
$1.22 MX$22.85
118.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.88 $7.88
$4.80 MX$89.7
64.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.27 $14.27
$13.30 MX$249
7.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 $1.91
$1.93 MX$36.14
-1.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 $2.30
$2.86 MX$53.4
-19.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Key West, FL
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.10 $4.10
$0.80 MX$14.94
412.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$30.94 MX$579
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.08 $4.08
$1.83 MX$34.28
122.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.09 $3.09
$1.06 MX$19.78
191.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.69 $29.69
$10.82 MX$202
174.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 $0.84
$1.47 MX$27.54
-42.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K $35.0K
$24.1K MX$450.4K
45.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$23.5K MX$440.2K
8.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Key West, FL
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 $215
$115 MX$2,144
87.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.4 $53.4
$26.37 MX$493
102.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.1 $74.1
$25.70 MX$481
188.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Key West, FL
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$80.1 $80.1
$30.53 MX$571
162.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.27 MX$398
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.18 $14.18
$4.96 MX$92.8
185.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Key West, FL
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,102 $1,102
$679 MX$12.7K
62.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.9K $22.9K
$14.2K MX$265.3K
61.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Key West, FL
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.45 $47.45
$72.2 MX$1,350
-34.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.43 $42.43
$41.94 MX$784
1.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.6 $71.6
$107 MX$2,011
-33.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.9 $68.9
$119 MX$2,219
-41.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Key West, FL
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,420 $3,420
$1,018 MX$19.0K
236.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,398 $3,398
$722 MX$13.5K
370.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$7,127 $7,127
$1,966 MX$36.8K
262.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$6,007 $6,007
$1,416 MX$26.5K
324.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,501 $9,501
$4,203 MX$78.6K
126.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,607 $9,607
$2,782 MX$52.0K
245.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Key West, FL
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,853 $5,853
$1,096 MX$20.5K
434.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.38
11.79
-45.89%

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

Last update for Key West, FL: 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
Key West, FL
$3.4K
Monterrey
$722 78.8% $2.7K
Groceries & Markets
Key West, FL
$457
Monterrey
$302 33.9% $155
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Key West, FL
$343
Monterrey
$167 51.4% $176
Eating Out
Key West, FL
$328
Monterrey
$216 34.1% $112
Sport & Entertainment
Key West, FL
$108
Monterrey
$40 62.7% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Key West, FL
$104
Monterrey
$153 47.7% $49
Getting Around
Key West, FL
$36 *
Monterrey
$41 14.9% $5.4

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,420 in Key West, FL 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 Key West, FL are about 5.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Key West, FL versus $48 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $302 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Key West, FL
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
16:21 4:21 PM
15:21 3:21 PM
1 h behind Key West, FL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,684
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
  • Key West, FL Monterrey 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Key West, FL
  • 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
Key West, FL vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monterrey cheaper than Key West, FL?
Yes – Key West, FL is pricier by about 191%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,160 per month in Key West, FL and $2,461 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Monterrey, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,018 there versus $3,420 in Key West, FL.
Is eating out cheaper in Key West, FL or in Monterrey?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Key West, FL and $48 in Monterrey. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Key West, FL and in Monterrey?
Groceries cost about 51% more in Key West, FL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Key West, FL or in Monterrey?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Key West, FL at $4,773. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Key West, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Key West, FL or Monterrey more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Key West, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Key West, FL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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