Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Baton Rouge, LA

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,607 a month against $2,370 in Baton Rouge, LA, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Baton Rouge, LA
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Baton Rouge, LA Living Index

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Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,607

/mo nomad

Baton Rouge, LA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,370

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Baton Rouge, LA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Monterrey and in Baton Rouge, LA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,607 in Monterrey versus $2,370 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Monterrey $1,607
Baton Rouge, LA $2,370

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,512 in Monterrey versus $3,538 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Monterrey $2,512
Baton Rouge, LA $3,538

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,417 in Monterrey versus $4,706 in Baton Rouge, LA.

Monterrey $3,417
Baton Rouge, LA $4,706

Living in Monterrey costs roughly 32% less than in Baton Rouge, LA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 20% above, Baton Rouge, LA 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.75 MX$252

$14.72 $14.72

-6.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 MX$921

$82.1 $82.1

-38.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 MX$204

$12.02 $12.02

-7.40%

Cappuccino

$4.04 MX$74.2

$6.06 $6.06

-33.33%

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

$1.70 MX$31.29

$2.20 $2.20

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$18.17

$1.37 $1.37

-27.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MX$44.21

$5.64 $5.64

-57.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$82.3

$7.71 $7.71

-41.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MX$35.31

$1.29 $1.29

48.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 MX$53.1

$2.91 $2.91

-0.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.67

$2.37 $2.37

-18.14%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$45.90

$2.97 $2.97

-15.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.30 MX$226

$13.36 $13.36

-7.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 MX$171

$14.10 $14.10

-33.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 MX$240

$23.10 $23.10

-43.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 MX$62.1

$6.87 $6.87

-50.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$29.02

$2.95 $2.95

-46.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$40.45

$6.15 $6.15

-64.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$44.89

$4.33 $4.33

-43.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$41.47

$3.63 $3.63

-37.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 MX$50.4

$2.66 $2.66

3.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 MX$28.09

$2.36 $2.36

-35.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$23.16

$1.81 $1.81

-30.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 MX$88.9

$9.05 $9.05

-46.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 MX$249

$19.29 $19.29

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MX$35.01

$1.86 $1.86

2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 MX$56.3

$2.05 $2.05

49.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MX$14.60

$1.71 $1.71

-53.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 MX$583

$57.1 $57.1

-44.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 MX$29.78

$4.02 $4.02

-59.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MX$20.17

$1.20 $1.20

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.97 MX$201

$60.9 $60.9

-81.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.93

$0.94 $0.94

61.70%

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

$21.4K MX$392.4K

$35.1K $35.1K

-39.16%

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

$25.5K MX$467.6K

$25.2K $25.2K

0.98%

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

$120 MX$2,198

$141 $141

-14.99%

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

$27.08 MX$497

$43.58 $43.58

-37.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 MX$490

$71.2 $71.2

-62.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.15 MX$572

$53.2 $53.2

-41.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.95 MX$403

$9.89 $9.89

121.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$94.4

$11.98 $11.98

-57.10%

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

$688 MX$12.6K

$1,899 $1,899

-63.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$209.8K

$10.0K $10.0K

14.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 MX$1,321

$33.14 $33.14

117.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.30 MX$795

$42.92 $42.92

0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$2,059

$88.4 $88.4

26.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,236

$70.8 $70.8

71.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 MX$17.6K

$1,365 $1,365

-29.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 MX$12.3K

$1,172 $1,172

-42.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 MX$34.7K

$1,807 $1,807

4.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 MX$24.0K

$1,756 $1,756

-25.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,159 MX$76.4K

$1,753 $1,753

137.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,437 MX$44.7K

$1,716 $1,716

42.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MX$20.8K

$3,263 $3,263

-65.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.79

6.32

86.55%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 4, 2026

Last update for Baton Rouge, LA: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Monterrey

$670 41.4%

Baton Rouge, LA

$1.2K 48.6% 74.9% $502

Groceries & Markets

Monterrey

$312 19.3%

Baton Rouge, LA

$441 18.3% 41.1% $128

Eating Out

Monterrey

$224 13.8%

Baton Rouge, LA

$284 11.8% 27.2% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monterrey

$174 10.7%

Baton Rouge, LA

$256 10.6% 47.3% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Monterrey

$157 9.7%

Baton Rouge, LA

$106 4.4% 32.6% $51

Getting Around

Monterrey

$42 2.6%

Baton Rouge, LA

$74 3.1% 75.7% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Monterrey

$41 2.6%

Baton Rouge, LA

$77 3.2% 86.2% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Monterrey and $1,365 in Baton Rouge, LA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baton Rouge, LA pays 188% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Monterrey vs $82.0 in Baton Rouge, LA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $441 per month, with Monterrey cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🇺🇸 Baton Rouge, LA

🕒 Local time

06:14 6:14 AM

07:14 7:14 AM

1 h ahead of Monterrey

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,142,994

229,493

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Monterrey Baton Rouge, LA 1,040 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Monterrey
Baton Rouge, LA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Baton Rouge, LA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey and Baton Rouge, LA differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,607 vs $2,370 including rent). Monterrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 188% lower in Baton Rouge, LA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $957 in Monterrey versus $1,365 in Baton Rouge, LA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Monterrey runs roughly 80% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $688 in Monterrey versus $1,899 in Baton Rouge, LA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,607 in Monterrey versus $2,370 in Baton Rouge, LA, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Monterrey but tight or insufficient in Baton Rouge, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Monterrey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Monterrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.