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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Monterrey vs $1,190 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Monterrey vs $1,926 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,552 per month in Monterrey vs $2,662 in Ajijic, rent included.

Monterrey costs about 36% more than Ajijic, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Monterrey sits 21% above the global median, while Ajijic is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.41 MX$235

$7.75 MX$136

73.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 MX$924

$34.05 MX$597

54.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 MX$177

$6.93 MX$122

45.89%

Cappuccino

$3.73 MX$65.4

$3.26 MX$57.1

14.42%

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

$1.44 MX$25.31

$1.07 MX$18.79

34.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.60

$0.81 MX$14.21

23.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$46.81

$1.89 MX$33.12

41.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MX$73.6

$3.23 MX$56.7

30.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$29.19

$1.34 MX$23.56

23.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.63

$2.25 MX$39.50

20.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MX$34.18

$1.04 MX$18.28

87.50%

Eggs

$2.66 MX$46.71

$1.97 MX$34.56

35.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 MX$179

$8.05 MX$141

26.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 MX$156

$7.35 MX$129

21.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MX$242

$7.02 MX$123

96.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MX$53.3

$2.24 MX$39.21

35.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.60

$0.91 MX$15.88

53.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.34

$0.83 MX$14.55

143.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.37

$1.47 MX$25.84

40.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 MX$40.66

$1.40 MX$24.64

65.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.78

$1.00 MX$17.60

155.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MX$26.48

$0.96 MX$16.76

57.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.93

$0.81 MX$14.20

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MX$74.5

$4.17 MX$73.1

1.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 MX$250

$9.08 MX$159

57.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MX$31.32

$1.37 MX$24.03

30.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.62 MX$28.41

96.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MX$13.54

$0.61 MX$10.78

26.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.89 MX$717

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 MX$30.81

$1.04 MX$18.19

69.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MX$17.39

$1.53 MX$26.86

-35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.39 MX$182

$3.14 MX$55.1

230.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.55

$1.31 MX$23.03

2.29%

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

$26.6K MX$467.3K

$18.7K MX$328.5K

42.27%

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

$25.6K MX$448.3K

$18.4K MX$322.3K

39.10%

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

$121 MX$2,128

$44.83 MX$786

170.67%

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

$27.40 MX$481

$16.23 MX$285

68.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.75 MX$522

$25.61 MX$449

16.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 MX$657

$23.83 MX$418

57.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 MX$382

$5.26 MX$92.3

314.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 MX$101

$4.34 MX$76.1

32.49%

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

$348 MX$6,098

$181 MX$3,179

91.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,983 MX$157.6K

$2,633 MX$46.2K

241.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 MX$1,037

$42.94 MX$753

37.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.88 MX$735

$16.18 MX$284

158.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,880

$67.4 MX$1,181

59.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 MX$2,249

$55.2 MX$968

132.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 MX$15.6K

$817 MX$14.3K

8.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MX$11.3K

$635 MX$11.1K

1.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 MX$27.7K

$1,587 MX$27.8K

-0.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 MX$24.2K

$1,385 MX$24.3K

-0.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,238 MX$74.3K

$3,254 MX$57.1K

30.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 MX$48.4K

$1,758 MX$30.8K

56.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MX$19.9K

$586 MX$10.3K

93.28%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $889 in Monterrey versus $817 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 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 $53.0 in Monterrey versus $34.00 in Ajijic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 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 36%, 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 $2,428 per month in Monterrey and $1,784 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 $1,618 in Monterrey and $1,190 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $348 per month in Monterrey and $181 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 $1,190, than in Monterrey at $1,618. 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.