Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Tablas and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $1,608 in Monterrey, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index

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Las Tablas

🇵🇦 Panama

$458

/mo nomad

Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $458 per month in Las Tablas vs $1,608 in Monterrey, rent included.

Las Tablas $458
Monterrey $1,608

A couple spends around $680 per month in Las Tablas vs $2,521 in Monterrey, rent included.

Las Tablas $680
Monterrey $2,521

A family of three spends $902 per month in Las Tablas vs $3,433 in Monterrey, rent included.

Las Tablas $902
Monterrey $3,433

Las Tablas is about 72% cheaper than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Las Tablas sits 66% below the global median, while Monterrey is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.99 PAB 9.99

$13.85 MX$256

-27.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.72 PAB 29.72

$49.70 MX$918

-40.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 PAB 8.34

$11.05 MX$204

-24.52%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$75.6

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

$0.99 PAB 0.99

$1.68 MX$30.97

-41.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 PAB 1.03

$1.03 MX$18.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$2.40 MX$44.28

-48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PAB 2.69

$4.35 MX$80.3

-38.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MX$35.55

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 PAB 1.93

$2.94 MX$54.2

-34.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$34.66

Eggs

$2.11 PAB 2.11

$2.55 MX$47.06

-17.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.84 MX$219

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 MX$173

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 MX$242

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 PAB 4.34

$3.38 MX$62.5

28.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 PAB 1.26

$1.52 MX$28.13

-17.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.51

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 PAB 1.55

$2.36 MX$43.63

-34.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$41.76

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 MX$50.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 PAB 1.24

$1.52 MX$28.17

-18.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 PAB 1.03

$1.24 MX$22.90

-16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 MX$87.8

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 PAB 5.68

$13.66 MX$252

-58.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 PAB 1.31

$1.89 MX$34.95

-30.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 PAB 1.72

$2.99 MX$55.2

-42.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 MX$15.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.95 MX$572

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 PAB 0.99

$1.68 MX$30.98

-41.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 MX$20.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.15 MX$206

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PAB 0.89

$1.56 MX$28.91

-42.95%

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

$21.4K MX$395.8K

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

$25.1K MX$463.2K

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

$149 PAB 149

$119 MX$2,206

24.73%

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

$22.86 PAB 22.86

$26.21 MX$484

-12.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.04 PAB 37.04

$26.78 MX$495

38.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.94 PAB 19.94

$31.03 MX$573

-35.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.43 MX$396

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 MX$97.7

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

$691 MX$12.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K MX$212.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.3 MX$1,335

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.72 MX$789

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$2,024

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,158

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 MX$17.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 MX$12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,857 MX$34.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 MX$23.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,162 MX$76.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,349 MX$43.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,146 MX$21.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.79

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

Last update for Las Tablas: October 12, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Las Tablas

–

Monterrey

$664 41.3%

Groceries & Markets

Las Tablas

–

Monterrey

$310 19.3%

Eating Out

Las Tablas

–

Monterrey

$225 14%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Las Tablas

–

Monterrey

$172 10.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Las Tablas

–

Monterrey

$154 9.6%

Getting Around

Las Tablas

–

Monterrey

$42 2.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Las Tablas

–

Monterrey

$42 2.6%

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Las Tablas versus $50.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $310 – making Las Tablas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Las Tablas

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🕒 Local time

07:29 7:29 AM

06:29 6:29 AM

1 h behind Las Tablas

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,939

1,142,994

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 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).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Las Tablas Monterrey 2,910 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Las Tablas
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

Las Tablas vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey costs about 251% more than Las Tablas, 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 $687 per month in Las Tablas and $2,412 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $458 in Las Tablas and $1,608 in Monterrey. That's a gap of about 251%.

Groceries cost about 200% more in Monterrey, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $458, than in Monterrey at $1,608. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Las Tablas costs $458 versus $1,608 in Monterrey. 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 Las Tablas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monterrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.