Cost of Living Comparison Between Leon and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Leon and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $854 per month in Leon vs $1,601 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,382 per month in Leon vs $2,585 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Leon vs $3,568 in Monterrey, rent included.

Leon is about 47% cheaper than Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Leon sits 36% below the global median, while Monterrey is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.24 MX$229

$13.01 MX$225

1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.05 MX$675

$53.8 MX$930

-27.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 MX$112

$10.21 MX$177

-36.53%

Cappuccino

$3.71 MX$64.2

$3.68 MX$63.7

0.82%

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

$1.58 MX$27.39

$1.46 MX$25.30

8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.23

$1.00 MX$17.28

-6.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 MX$30.42

$2.70 MX$46.62

-34.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 MX$70.3

$4.27 MX$73.9

-4.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.05

$1.67 MX$28.81

-23.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 MX$33.87

$2.68 MX$46.35

-26.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 MX$19.64

$1.93 MX$33.35

-40.93%

Eggs

$1.63 MX$28.22

$2.63 MX$45.49

-38.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.27 MX$109

$10.34 MX$179

-39.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 MX$91.2

$9.22 MX$159

-42.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.93 MX$172

$13.84 MX$239

-28.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.77

$3.15 MX$54.5

-50.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 MX$15.04

$1.39 MX$24.01

-37.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 MX$10.45

$2.00 MX$34.59

-70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 MX$8.82

$2.14 MX$37.03

-76.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.95

$2.27 MX$39.19

-33.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.32

$2.54 MX$44.00

-64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MX$13.34

$1.57 MX$27.09

-50.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.24

$1.07 MX$18.49

-6.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.7

$4.25 MX$73.5

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.29 MX$247

$14.36 MX$248

-0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$23.29

$1.78 MX$30.81

-24.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$49.22

$3.14 MX$54.4

-9.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.59

$0.80 MX$13.87

-8.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.48 MX$631

$40.54 MX$701

-10.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$55.9

$1.68 MX$29.06

92.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MX$15.39

$0.94 MX$16.28

-5.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 MX$226

$10.76 MX$186

21.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.09

$1.37 MX$23.68

-2.92%

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

$21.2K MX$366.6K

$26.7K MX$462.6K

-20.75%

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

$24.1K MX$416.2K

$25.6K MX$442.5K

-5.94%

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

$21.30 MX$368

$122 MX$2,104

-82.49%

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

$23.35 MX$404

$27.19 MX$470

-14.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.36 MX$387

$29.82 MX$516

-25.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.97 MX$484

$38.49 MX$666

-27.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 MX$279

$21.46 MX$371

-24.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MX$73.7

$5.92 MX$102

-28.04%

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

$215 MX$3,727

$346 MX$5,979

-37.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,851 MX$49.3K

$8,997 MX$155.6K

-68.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 MX$1,003

$58.4 MX$1,010

-0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.89 MX$725

$42.55 MX$736

-1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.7 MX$894

$109 MX$1,892

-52.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.19 MX$488

$129 MX$2,231

-78.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 MX$3,644

$913 MX$15.8K

-76.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 MX$3,839

$647 MX$11.2K

-65.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MX$6,762

$1,565 MX$27.1K

-75.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 MX$7,340

$1,401 MX$24.2K

-69.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 MX$75.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,839 MX$49.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 MX$9,892

$1,104 MX$19.1K

-48.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.67

11.55

1.04%

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

Last update for Leon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $211 in Leon versus $913 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 93% higher in Monterrey, 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 $39.00 in Leon versus $54.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $298 – making Leon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Leon vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey costs about 88% more than Leon, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,281 per month in Leon and $2,402 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 50% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Leon and $54.0 in Monterrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Leon, where all-in costs run around $854, than in Monterrey at $1,601. In Leon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Leon costs $854 versus $1,601 in Monterrey. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Leon. 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.