Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzanillo and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Manzanillo and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,746 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,515 in Manzanillo versus $2,703 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,837 in Manzanillo versus $3,660 in Monterrey.

Living in Manzanillo costs roughly 32% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manzanillo is 12% below, Monterrey is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 MX$198

$14.55 MX$251

-21.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 MX$605

$52.5 MX$905

-33.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 MX$197

$11.67 MX$201

-1.97%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$62.4

$4.06 MX$70.1

-10.84%

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

$1.35 MX$23.35

$1.62 MX$27.92

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$21.70

$1.08 MX$18.63

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MX$45.22

$2.84 MX$49.00

-7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 MX$97.3

$4.92 MX$84.9

14.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.48

$2.03 MX$35.08

-30.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 MX$46.61

$3.11 MX$53.7

-13.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.95

$1.99 MX$34.36

-27.14%

Eggs

$2.13 MX$36.75

$2.73 MX$47.12

-21.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$123

$12.61 MX$218

-43.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 MX$102

$9.80 MX$169

-39.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 MX$177

$14.49 MX$250

-29.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 MX$45.50

$3.63 MX$62.6

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.07

$1.66 MX$28.61

-5.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.66

$2.33 MX$40.24

-31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.31

$2.47 MX$42.64

-28.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 MX$46.21

$2.37 MX$40.87

13.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 MX$52.9

$2.68 MX$46.30

14.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$1.57 MX$27.05

43.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MX$25.01

$1.32 MX$22.72

9.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 MX$103

$4.96 MX$85.6

19.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 MX$122

$14.58 MX$252

-51.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 MX$41.26

$2.08 MX$35.82

14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MX$47.61

$3.16 MX$54.6

-12.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 MX$13.91

$0.89 MX$15.27

-8.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.70 MX$581

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 MX$44.31

$1.92 MX$33.13

33.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 MX$46.23

$1.13 MX$19.50

137.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.72 MX$202

$11.60 MX$200

1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.94

$1.59 MX$27.41

-1.89%

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

$22.5K MX$388.0K

$22.5K MX$387.5K

0.14%

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

$25.0K MX$431.7K

$26.6K MX$458.6K

-5.86%

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

$70.4 MX$1,215

$132 MX$2,282

-46.75%

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

$22.90 MX$395

$28.97 MX$500

-20.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.90 MX$464

$28.16 MX$486

-4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 MX$1,183

$34.82 MX$601

96.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.66 MX$598

$22.80 MX$393

52.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$74.0

$5.52 MX$95.3

-22.28%

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

$201 MX$3,476

$710 MX$12.3K

-71.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K MX$206.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.02 MX$811

$74.8 MX$1,290

-37.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.58 MX$528

$46.29 MX$799

-33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MX$1,442

$120 MX$2,078

-30.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 MX$2,447

$148 MX$2,561

-4.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$1,021 MX$17.6K

-31.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MX$6,959

$720 MX$12.4K

-44.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,968 MX$34.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 MX$22.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,377 MX$75.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,774 MX$47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 MX$7,060

$1,111 MX$19.2K

-63.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.47

-1.48%

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

Last update for Manzanillo: August 3, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $701 in Manzanillo and $1,021 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 172% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Manzanillo vs $52.0 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $331 per month, with Manzanillo cheaper across the board.

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

Manzanillo vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manzanillo and Monterrey differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $1,746 including rent). Manzanillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 172% lower in Monterrey. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $701 in Manzanillo versus $1,021 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Monterrey. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,192 per month in Manzanillo versus $1,746 in Monterrey – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,192 in Manzanillo versus $1,746 in Monterrey, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manzanillo but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Manzanillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Manzanillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.