Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Ajijic Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Ajijic

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,601 per month in Monterrey vs $1,182 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Monterrey vs $1,939 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,568 per month in Monterrey vs $2,696 in Ajijic, rent included.

Monterrey costs about 35% more than Ajijic, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Monterrey sits 20% above the global median, while Ajijic is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.01 MX$225

$7.91 MX$137

64.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$930

$34.68 MX$600

55.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 MX$177

$6.80 MX$118

50.15%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$63.7

$3.35 MX$58.0

9.85%

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

$1.46 MX$25.30

$1.07 MX$18.53

36.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.28

$0.85 MX$14.66

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MX$46.62

$1.82 MX$31.55

48.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.15 MX$54.5

35.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.81

$1.36 MX$23.44

22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.35

$2.27 MX$39.33

18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.35

$1.08 MX$18.69

78.70%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.49

$2.00 MX$34.58

31.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 MX$179

$8.09 MX$140

27.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 MX$159

$7.23 MX$125

27.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 MX$239

$6.80 MX$118

103.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 MX$54.5

$2.16 MX$37.31

45.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.01

$0.89 MX$15.41

56.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.59

$0.91 MX$15.77

119.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.03

$1.41 MX$24.44

51.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.19

$1.38 MX$23.84

64.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 MX$44.00

$1.04 MX$17.98

144.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$27.09

$0.87 MX$14.99

80.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.49

$0.83 MX$14.28

28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MX$73.5

$4.07 MX$70.4

4.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 MX$248

$9.31 MX$161

54.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MX$30.81

$1.40 MX$24.24

27.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$1.68 MX$29.05

86.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MX$13.87

$0.61 MX$10.56

31.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.54 MX$701

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 MX$29.06

$1.09 MX$18.85

54.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MX$16.28

$1.58 MX$27.38

-40.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.76 MX$186

$3.18 MX$55.1

238.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MX$23.68

$1.31 MX$22.59

4.58%

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

$26.7K MX$462.6K

$18.8K MX$324.7K

42.45%

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

$25.6K MX$442.5K

$18.9K MX$326.6K

35.48%

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

$122 MX$2,104

$44.74 MX$774

171.93%

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

$27.19 MX$470

$16.21 MX$280

67.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.82 MX$516

$25.54 MX$442

16.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.49 MX$666

$24.01 MX$415

60.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.46 MX$371

$5.24 MX$90.7

309.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 MX$102

$4.29 MX$74.2

38.00%

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

$346 MX$5,979

$179 MX$3,095

93.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,997 MX$155.6K

$2,654 MX$45.9K

239.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 MX$1,010

$41.62 MX$720

40.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 MX$736

$16.17 MX$280

163.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,892

$65.2 MX$1,128

67.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 MX$2,231

$54.1 MX$935

138.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 MX$15.8K

$812 MX$14.0K

12.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 MX$11.2K

$633 MX$10.9K

2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 MX$27.1K

$1,597 MX$27.6K

-2.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 MX$24.2K

0.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 MX$75.6K

$3,248 MX$56.2K

34.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,839 MX$49.1K

$1,742 MX$30.1K

62.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,104 MX$19.1K

$583 MX$10.1K

89.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

11.24

2.76%

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

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Monterrey versus $812 in Ajijic. 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 89% 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 $54.0 in Monterrey versus $35.00 in Ajijic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $205 – making Ajijic 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

Monterrey vs Ajijic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Monterrey is pricier by about 35%, 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 $2,402 per month in Monterrey and $1,773 in Ajijic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,601 in Monterrey and $1,182 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $346 per month in Monterrey and $179 in Ajijic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ajijic, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in Monterrey at $1,601. In Ajijic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ajijic – 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 Ajijic. 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.