Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,607 a month against $2,994 in Madison, WI, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

148

Cost of Living Index in Madison, WI
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Madison, WI Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index

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Madison, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,994

/mo nomad

Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,994 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,607 in Monterrey, rent included.

Madison, WI $2,994
Monterrey $1,607

A couple spends around $4,424 per month in Madison, WI vs $2,512 in Monterrey, rent included.

Madison, WI $4,424
Monterrey $2,512

A family of three spends $5,854 per month in Madison, WI vs $3,417 in Monterrey, rent included.

Madison, WI $5,854
Monterrey $3,417

Madison, WI costs about 86% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Madison, WI and Monterrey sit above the global median – Madison, WI by 123%, Monterrey by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.62 $19.62

$13.75 MX$252

42.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 $68.0

$50.2 MX$921

35.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.07 $13.07

$11.13 MX$204

17.43%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$4.04 MX$74.2

39.36%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$1.70 MX$31.29

85.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.99 MX$18.17

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$2.41 MX$44.21

193.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 $8.23

$4.48 MX$82.3

83.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.92 MX$35.31

-48.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.89 MX$53.1

18.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.94 MX$35.67

112.89%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$2.50 MX$45.90

44.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.92 $14.92

$12.30 MX$226

21.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 $13.28

$9.33 MX$171

42.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.06 $20.06

$13.07 MX$240

53.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.38 MX$62.1

40.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.58 MX$29.02

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$2.20 MX$40.45

141.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.45 MX$44.89

103.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.26 MX$41.47

23.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.74 MX$50.4

13.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.53 MX$28.09

43.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.26 MX$23.16

92.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 $10.77

$4.84 MX$88.9

122.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 $15.75

$13.59 MX$249

15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.91 MX$35.01

41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.06 MX$56.3

44.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.80 MX$14.60

157.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.5 $65.5

$31.77 MX$583

106.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.62 MX$29.78

145.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.10 MX$20.17

83.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.09 $43.09

$10.97 MX$201

292.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.52 MX$27.93

-33.55%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$21.4K MX$392.4K

68.43%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.5K MX$467.6K

0.61%

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

$269 $269

$120 MX$2,198

124.80%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$27.08 MX$497

94.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 $83.8

$26.70 MX$490

213.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 $58.4

$31.15 MX$572

87.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 $10.54

$21.95 MX$403

-51.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.27 $15.27

$5.14 MX$94.4

197.08%

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

$1,705 $1,705

$688 MX$12.6K

147.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$11.4K MX$209.8K

101.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$71.9 MX$1,321

-12.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 $50.0

$43.30 MX$795

15.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$112 MX$2,059

-3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$122 MX$2,236

-0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,789 $1,789

$957 MX$17.6K

86.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$670 MX$12.3K

134.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,177 $3,177

$1,887 MX$34.7K

68.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,305 MX$24.0K

96.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,524 $4,524

$4,159 MX$76.4K

8.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 $2,489

$2,437 MX$44.7K

2.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,383 $4,383

$1,133 MX$20.8K

286.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

11.79

-43.26%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: October 5, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Madison, WI

$1.6K 51.1%

Monterrey

$670 41.4% 57.4% $902

Groceries & Markets

Madison, WI

$432 14%

Monterrey

$312 19.3% 27.7% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Madison, WI

$405 13.2%

Monterrey

$174 10.7% 57.2% $232

Eating Out

Madison, WI

$338 11%

Monterrey

$224 13.8% 33.9% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Madison, WI

$154 5%

Monterrey

$157 9.7% 2.1% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Madison, WI

$89 2.9%

Monterrey

$41 2.6% 53.4% $48

Getting Around

Madison, WI

$88 2.9%

Monterrey

$42 2.6% 52.1% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,789 in Madison, WI versus $957 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 287% higher in Madison, WI, 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 $68.0 in Madison, WI versus $50.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $312 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Madison, WI

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🕒 Local time

22:22 10:22 PM

21:22 9:22 PM

1 h behind Madison, WI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

248,951

1,142,994

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Madison, WI Monterrey 2,170 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Madison, WI
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

Madison, WI vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,994 in Madison, WI, $1,607 in Monterrey – roughly 86% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,491 per month in Madison, WI and $2,411 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Monterrey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,705 per month in Madison, WI and $688 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,607, than in Madison, WI at $2,994. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madison, WI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Madison, WI has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,607 in Monterrey to $2,994 in Madison, WI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Madison, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.