Cost of Living Comparison Between Miguel Hidalgo and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Miguel Hidalgo and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Miguel Hidalgo vs $1,601 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,885 per month in Miguel Hidalgo vs $2,585 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,646 per month in Miguel Hidalgo vs $3,568 in Monterrey, rent included.

Miguel Hidalgo is about 30% cheaper than Monterrey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Miguel Hidalgo sits 16% below the global median, while Monterrey is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.69 MX$185

$13.01 MX$226

-17.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.2 MX$1,442

$53.8 MX$932

54.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 MX$136

$10.21 MX$177

-23.02%

Cappuccino

$3.33 MX$57.8

$3.68 MX$63.8

-9.51%

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

$1.23 MX$21.37

$1.46 MX$25.34

-15.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$17.00

$1.00 MX$17.31

-2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MX$40.12

$2.70 MX$46.70

-14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 MX$98.8

$4.27 MX$74.0

33.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$25.94

$1.67 MX$28.86

-10.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 MX$43.35

$2.68 MX$46.43

-6.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.17

$1.93 MX$33.41

-18.65%

Eggs

$2.39 MX$41.47

$2.63 MX$45.57

-9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$143

$10.34 MX$179

-20.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.90 MX$154

$9.22 MX$160

-3.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.84 MX$240

-22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 MX$44.69

$3.15 MX$54.6

-18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.35

$1.39 MX$24.06

5.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MX$29.93

$2.00 MX$34.65

-13.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.69

$2.14 MX$37.10

-25.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.16

$2.27 MX$39.26

-18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.29

$2.54 MX$44.08

-24.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$20.95

$1.57 MX$27.14

-22.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$17.80

$1.07 MX$18.53

-3.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$74.4

$4.25 MX$73.6

0.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.71 MX$186

$14.36 MX$249

-25.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.68

$1.78 MX$30.87

-10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MX$47.28

$3.14 MX$54.5

-13.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.42

$0.80 MX$13.89

-17.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.54 MX$703

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$1.68 MX$29.11

57.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.61

$0.94 MX$16.31

69.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 MX$142

$10.76 MX$186

-23.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.71

$1.37 MX$23.72

-8.76%

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

$21.1K MX$366.0K

$26.7K MX$463.4K

-21.02%

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

$22.3K MX$385.6K

$25.6K MX$443.3K

-13.01%

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

$29.30 MX$508

$122 MX$2,108

-75.92%

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

$22.31 MX$387

$27.19 MX$471

-17.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.75 MX$533

$29.82 MX$517

3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.80 MX$776

$38.49 MX$667

16.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.15 MX$280

$21.46 MX$372

-24.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.57 MX$79.3

$5.92 MX$103

-22.80%

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

$207 MX$3,594

$346 MX$5,990

-40.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,640 MX$63.1K

$8,997 MX$155.9K

-59.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 MX$1,259

$58.4 MX$1,012

24.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 MX$699

$42.55 MX$737

-5.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 MX$1,581

$109 MX$1,896

-16.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.2 MX$1,373

$129 MX$2,235

-38.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$510 MX$8,830

$913 MX$15.8K

-44.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 MX$6,905

$647 MX$11.2K

-38.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 MX$16.2K

$1,565 MX$27.1K

-40.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 MX$13.3K

$1,401 MX$24.3K

-45.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,922 MX$33.3K

$4,371 MX$75.7K

-56.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,277 MX$22.1K

$2,839 MX$49.2K

-55.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$573 MX$9,924

$1,104 MX$19.1K

-48.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.55

-0.61%

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

Last update for Miguel Hidalgo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $510 in Miguel Hidalgo 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 93% 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 $83.0 in Miguel Hidalgo versus $54.0 in Monterrey. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Miguel Hidalgo vs $298 in Monterrey – so Miguel Hidalgo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Miguel Hidalgo vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Monterrey is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,686 per month in Miguel Hidalgo 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 Miguel Hidalgo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Miguel Hidalgo and $54.0 in Monterrey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Miguel Hidalgo, where all-in costs run around $1,124, than in Monterrey at $1,601. In Miguel Hidalgo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miguel Hidalgo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Miguel Hidalgo. 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.