Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazatlan and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazatlan and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,635 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,595 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,259 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,536 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,882 per month in Mazatlan vs $3,477 in Monterrey, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 3% more than Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mazatlan and Monterrey sit above the global median – Mazatlan by 22%, Monterrey by 19%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 MX$182

$13.02 MX$227

-19.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 MX$790

$53.6 MX$932

-15.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 MX$147

$10.17 MX$177

-17.01%

Cappuccino

$3.39 MX$59.0

$3.75 MX$65.2

-9.60%

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

$1.38 MX$24.03

$1.44 MX$25.09

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$17.92

$1.04 MX$18.06

-0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 MX$34.67

$2.58 MX$44.86

-22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 MX$44.64

$4.11 MX$71.5

-37.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$25.50

$1.67 MX$29.14

-11.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$44.41

$2.63 MX$45.81

-3.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.34

$1.93 MX$33.62

8.29%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.36

$2.60 MX$45.25

-10.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$134

$10.47 MX$182

-26.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 MX$113

$9.07 MX$158

-28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 MX$128

$13.42 MX$234

-45.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MX$46.85

$3.16 MX$54.9

-14.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$28.16

$1.40 MX$24.44

15.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.84

$2.09 MX$36.39

-15.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 MX$12.92

$2.09 MX$36.35

-64.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.93

$2.32 MX$40.40

-6.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.30

$2.53 MX$44.09

0.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$1.55 MX$27.00

-18.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.11 MX$19.39

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$70.8

$4.25 MX$74.0

-4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.08 MX$280

$11.83 MX$206

35.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MX$34.69

$1.80 MX$31.28

10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MX$54.3

$3.12 MX$54.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.51

$0.75 MX$13.09

-12.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.44 MX$686

$39.49 MX$687

-0.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 MX$58.2

$1.76 MX$30.61

89.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$0.99 MX$17.25

84.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 MX$142

$10.60 MX$185

-23.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.62

$1.31 MX$22.75

-0.76%

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

$21.3K MX$370.2K

$26.6K MX$463.1K

-20.05%

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

$22.3K MX$388.7K

$25.7K MX$447.7K

-13.19%

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

$56.0 MX$974

$124 MX$2,151

-54.72%

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

$21.20 MX$369

$27.80 MX$484

-23.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 MX$721

$29.57 MX$514

40.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 MX$744

$38.39 MX$668

11.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 MX$278

$21.87 MX$380

-26.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 MX$70.5

$5.95 MX$103

-31.93%

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

$83.3 MX$1,449

$337 MX$5,863

-75.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,899 MX$33.0K

$8,908 MX$155.0K

-78.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 MX$1,053

$58.3 MX$1,014

3.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.06 MX$453

$41.99 MX$731

-37.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,824

$108 MX$1,886

-3.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MX$1,357

$126 MX$2,195

-38.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 MX$15.1K

$911 MX$15.8K

-4.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 MX$15.2K

$660 MX$11.5K

32.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 MX$24.4K

$1,570 MX$27.3K

-10.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 MX$18.7K

$1,426 MX$24.8K

-24.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,633 MX$28.4K

$4,178 MX$72.7K

-60.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 MX$18.9K

$2,845 MX$49.5K

-61.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 MX$9,586

$1,113 MX$19.4K

-50.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.55

-1.90%

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

Last update for Mazatlan: April 28, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $869 in Mazatlan versus $911 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 102% higher in Monterrey, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Mazatlan versus $54.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $292 – making Mazatlan 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

Mazatlan vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,635 in Mazatlan, $1,595 in Monterrey – roughly 3% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,452 per month in Mazatlan and $2,392 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 0% less in Monterrey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $83.3 per month in Mazatlan and $337 in Monterrey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,595, than in Mazatlan at $1,635. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mazatlan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,595 in Monterrey to $1,635 in Mazatlan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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