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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,513 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,728 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,174 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,711 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,835 per month in Mazatlan vs $3,694 in Monterrey, rent included.

Mazatlan is about 12% cheaper than Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mazatlan and Monterrey sit above the global median – Mazatlan by 10%, Monterrey by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 MX$197

$14.63 MX$248

-20.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.79 MX$845

$53.1 MX$901

-6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 MX$157

$12.02 MX$204

-23.21%

Cappuccino

$3.85 MX$65.3

$4.18 MX$71.0

-7.89%

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

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.70 MX$28.82

-8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.69

$1.12 MX$18.95

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 MX$38.08

$2.92 MX$49.53

-23.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MX$51.2

$4.71 MX$79.9

-35.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$28.96

$1.97 MX$33.50

-13.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 MX$48.36

$3.16 MX$53.6

-9.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$24.86

$2.00 MX$34.00

-26.50%

Eggs

$2.92 MX$49.52

$2.68 MX$45.44

8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 MX$150

$13.14 MX$223

-32.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 MX$122

$9.98 MX$169

-28.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.42 MX$143

$13.79 MX$234

-38.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.2

$3.60 MX$61.1

-16.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.86

$1.65 MX$28.07

10.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.20

$2.31 MX$39.26

-25.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 MX$9.42

$2.58 MX$43.71

-78.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.44

$2.50 MX$42.39

-28.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.56

$2.95 MX$50.0

-50.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 MX$28.92

$1.62 MX$27.53

4.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$74.3

$5.34 MX$90.7

-17.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 MX$283

$14.83 MX$252

12.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 MX$37.15

$2.02 MX$34.28

8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 MX$59.2

$3.23 MX$54.8

8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MX$13.55

$0.87 MX$14.78

-8.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.90 MX$762

$33.53 MX$569

33.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 MX$63.7

$1.88 MX$31.82

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 MX$44.36

$1.15 MX$19.52

126.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.99 MX$203

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.12

$1.68 MX$28.58

-8.33%

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

$23.1K MX$391.6K

$22.7K MX$385.0K

1.72%

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

$26.2K MX$444.6K

$27.3K MX$462.8K

-3.92%

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

$62.0 MX$1,051

$124 MX$2,109

-50.16%

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

$50.3 MX$854

$28.42 MX$482

77.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.82 MX$777

$28.37 MX$481

61.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.57 MX$807

$33.01 MX$560

44.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.10 MX$392

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MX$81.5

$5.51 MX$93.5

-12.70%

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

$95.2 MX$1,615

$738 MX$12.5K

-87.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,151 MX$36.5K

$12.4K MX$211.1K

-82.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 MX$1,190

$80.9 MX$1,373

-13.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 MX$496

$45.74 MX$776

-36.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MX$2,080

$121 MX$2,046

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 MX$1,495

$135 MX$2,295

-34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 MX$14.3K

$1,045 MX$17.7K

-19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 MX$11.2K

$728 MX$12.3K

-9.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 MX$21.8K

$2,014 MX$34.2K

-36.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$850 MX$14.4K

$1,403 MX$23.8K

-39.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,724 MX$29.3K

$4,411 MX$74.8K

-60.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 MX$19.1K

$2,630 MX$44.6K

-57.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$571 MX$9,682

$1,170 MX$19.8K

-51.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

11.56

0.35%

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

Last update for Mazatlan: September 5, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $845 in Mazatlan versus $1,045 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 105% 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 $50.0 in Mazatlan versus $53.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $333 – 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: $1,513 in Mazatlan, $1,728 in Monterrey – roughly 14% apart. Monterrey costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,269 per month in Mazatlan and $2,592 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 34% less in Mazatlan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.2 per month in Mazatlan and $738 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 Mazatlan, where all-in costs run around $1,513, than in Monterrey at $1,728. In Mazatlan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey 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 $1,513 in Mazatlan to $1,728 in Monterrey. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mazatlan. 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.