Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexicali and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexicali and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,061 per month in Mexicali vs $1,601 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Mexicali vs $2,585 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,113 per month in Mexicali vs $3,568 in Monterrey, rent included.

Mexicali is about 34% cheaper than Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexicali sits 21% below the global median, while Monterrey is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.09 MX$209

$13.01 MX$226

-7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 MX$557

$53.8 MX$932

-40.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 MX$108

$10.21 MX$177

-38.69%

Cappuccino

$2.56 MX$44.38

$3.68 MX$63.8

-30.43%

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

$1.11 MX$19.25

$1.46 MX$25.34

-23.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$16.00

$1.00 MX$17.31

-8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 MX$23.49

$2.70 MX$46.70

-49.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 MX$67.6

$4.27 MX$74.0

-8.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 MX$21.12

$1.67 MX$28.86

-26.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 MX$39.58

$2.68 MX$46.43

-14.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.74

$1.93 MX$33.41

-22.80%

Eggs

$2.62 MX$45.32

$2.63 MX$45.57

-0.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.32 MX$40.19

$10.34 MX$179

-77.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 MX$98.6

$9.22 MX$160

-38.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.43 MX$111

$13.84 MX$240

-53.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MX$28.13

$3.15 MX$54.6

-48.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 MX$22.24

$1.39 MX$24.06

-7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MX$23.24

$2.00 MX$34.65

-33.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.83

$2.14 MX$37.10

-24.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 MX$22.52

$2.27 MX$39.26

-42.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MX$23.42

$2.54 MX$44.08

-46.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.53

$1.57 MX$27.14

-31.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.31

$1.07 MX$18.53

-22.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 MX$69.4

$4.25 MX$73.6

-5.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 MX$148

$14.36 MX$249

-40.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 MX$33.39

$1.78 MX$30.87

8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 MX$57.6

$3.14 MX$54.5

6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MX$17.55

$0.80 MX$13.89

26.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.81 MX$586

$40.54 MX$703

-16.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 MX$47.27

$1.68 MX$29.11

62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.64

$0.94 MX$16.31

63.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.1

$10.76 MX$186

-69.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.59

$1.37 MX$23.72

-5.11%

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

$23.5K MX$408.0K

$26.7K MX$463.4K

-11.96%

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

$20.3K MX$351.0K

$25.6K MX$443.3K

-20.82%

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

$55.8 MX$967

$122 MX$2,108

-54.15%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$27.19 MX$471

-18.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.18 MX$540

$29.82 MX$517

4.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.44 MX$666

$38.49 MX$667

-0.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 MX$279

$21.46 MX$372

-24.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 MX$70.5

$5.92 MX$103

-31.25%

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

$202 MX$3,509

$346 MX$5,990

-41.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,780 MX$48.2K

$8,997 MX$155.9K

-69.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.97 MX$467

$58.4 MX$1,012

-53.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.12 MX$539

$42.55 MX$737

-26.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 MX$1,272

$109 MX$1,896

-32.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 MX$1,205

$129 MX$2,235

-46.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$913 MX$15.8K

-30.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MX$6,826

$647 MX$11.2K

-39.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 MX$20.6K

$1,565 MX$27.1K

-23.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 MX$11.7K

$1,401 MX$24.3K

-51.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,771 MX$48.0K

$4,371 MX$75.7K

-36.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,518 MX$26.3K

$2,839 MX$49.2K

-46.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$900 MX$15.6K

$1,104 MX$19.1K

-18.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.55

-0.43%

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

Last update for Mexicali: May 30, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $634 in Mexicali 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 23% 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 $32.00 in Mexicali versus $54.0 in Monterrey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $298 – making Mexicali 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

Mexicali vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,061 in Mexicali, $1,601 in Monterrey – roughly 51% apart. Monterrey costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,591 per month in Mexicali 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 Mexicali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% 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 $32.00 in Mexicali and $54.0 in Monterrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexicali, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Monterrey at $1,601. In Mexicali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Monterrey has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,061 in Mexicali to $1,601 in Monterrey. 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 Mexicali. 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.