Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lansing, IL and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,599 a month against $2,424 in Lansing, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lansing, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,424
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,599
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,424 per month in Lansing, IL vs $1,599 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Lansing, IL $2,424
  • Monterrey $1,599

A couple spends around $3,690 per month in Lansing, IL vs $2,493 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Lansing, IL $3,690
  • Monterrey $2,493

A family of three spends $4,956 per month in Lansing, IL vs $3,387 in Monterrey, rent included.

  • Lansing, IL $4,956
  • Monterrey $3,387

Lansing, IL costs about 52% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Lansing, IL and Monterrey sit above the global median – Lansing, IL by 79%, Monterrey by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lansing, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.66 $19.66
$13.80 MX$255
42.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.6 $74.6
$47.99 MX$887
55.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.59 $11.59
$10.65 MX$197
8.83%
Cappuccino
$5.19 $5.19
$3.99 MX$73.7
30.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 $2.72
$1.66 MX$30.76
63.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$0.99 MX$18.21
97.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.90 $5.90
$2.36 MX$43.64
150.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.22 $7.22
$4.43 MX$81.8
62.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lansing, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.82 MX$33.58
-45.60%
White Bread (500g)
$3.57 $3.57
$2.83 MX$52.4
26.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.45 $4.45
$1.92 MX$35.44
131.77%
Eggs
$4.11 $4.11
$2.48 MX$45.78
65.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.76 $12.76
$11.74 MX$217
8.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.39 $11.39
$9.10 MX$168
25.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.88 $16.88
$12.53 MX$232
34.72%
Apples (1kg)
$5.10 $5.10
$3.34 MX$61.6
52.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.57 MX$29.10
4.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.39 $4.39
$2.16 MX$39.86
103.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.79 $4.79
$2.47 MX$45.65
93.93%
Potato (1kg)
$2.82 $2.82
$2.31 MX$42.64
22.08%
Onion (1kg)
$2.91 $2.91
$2.68 MX$49.47
8.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.19 $2.19
$1.46 MX$26.90
50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.19 MX$22.07
86.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.96 $9.96
$4.75 MX$87.8
109.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.07 $15.07
$13.58 MX$251
10.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 $1.92
$1.92 MX$35.52
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27 $3.27
$2.88 MX$53.2
13.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Lansing, IL
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.05 $2.05
$0.79 MX$14.66
159.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$31.36 MX$579
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.69 $2.69
$1.59 MX$29.44
69.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 $1.56
$1.06 MX$19.58
47.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.26 $33.26
$10.80 MX$200
207.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$1.55 MX$28.59
-27.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$24.2K MX$446.4K
15.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K $26.3K
$24.3K MX$449.4K
8.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lansing, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 $196
$117 MX$2,159
67.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$66.0 $66.0
$26.38 MX$488
150.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.0 $71.0
$26.04 MX$481
172.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lansing, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.95 $40.95
$30.26 MX$559
35.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$21.25 MX$393
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.18 $14.18
$5.23 MX$96.6
171.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lansing, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,377 $1,377
$673 MX$12.4K
104.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.8K $26.8K
$11.1K MX$205.2K
141.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lansing, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.9 $55.9
$72.1 MX$1,332
-22.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.58 $43.58
$42.38 MX$783
2.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 $101
$112 MX$2,066
-9.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$119 MX$2,200
0.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lansing, IL
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,607 $1,607
$949 MX$17.5K
69.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,143 $1,143
$666 MX$12.3K
71.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,651 $2,651
$1,821 MX$33.7K
45.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,131 $2,131
$1,271 MX$23.5K
67.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,439 $2,439
$4,050 MX$74.8K
-39.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,500 $2,500
$2,348 MX$43.4K
6.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lansing, IL
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,105 $3,105
$1,155 MX$21.3K
168.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
11.79
-44.27%

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

Last update for Lansing, IL: 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
Lansing, IL
$1.1K
Monterrey
$666 41.7% $477
Groceries & Markets
Lansing, IL
$398
Monterrey
$304 23.6% $94
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lansing, IL
$333
Monterrey
$169 49.1% $163
Eating Out
Lansing, IL
$317
Monterrey
$221 30.1% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Lansing, IL
$144
Monterrey
$155 7.7% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Lansing, IL
$69
Monterrey
$41 41.3% $29
Getting Around
Lansing, IL
$19 *
Monterrey
$41 122% $23

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,607 in Lansing, IL 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 169% higher in Lansing, IL, 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 $75.0 in Lansing, IL versus $48.00 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $304 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Lansing, IL
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
14:12 2:12 PM
13:12 1:12 PM
1 h behind Lansing, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
112,644
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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Lansing, IL Monterrey 2,120 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lansing, IL
  • 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
Lansing, IL vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monterrey cheaper than Lansing, IL?
Yes – Lansing, IL is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,636 per month in Lansing, IL and $2,399 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Lansing, IL and in Monterrey?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,424 in Lansing, IL and $1,599 in Monterrey. That's a gap of about 52%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,377 per month in Lansing, IL and $673 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Lansing, IL or in Monterrey?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,599, than in Lansing, IL at $2,424. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lansing, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Lansing, IL 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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lansing, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Lansing, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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