Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Belvidere, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,599 a month against $2,359 in Belvidere, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,599
/mo nomad
Belvidere, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,359
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Belvidere, IL

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 Belvidere, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,599 per month in Monterrey vs $2,359 in Belvidere, IL, rent included.

  • Monterrey $1,599
  • Belvidere, IL $2,359

A couple spends around $2,493 per month in Monterrey vs $3,373 in Belvidere, IL, rent included.

  • Monterrey $2,493
  • Belvidere, IL $3,373

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Monterrey vs $4,387 in Belvidere, IL, rent included.

  • Monterrey $3,387
  • Belvidere, IL $4,387

Monterrey is about 32% cheaper than Belvidere, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Monterrey and Belvidere, IL sit above the global median – Monterrey by 18%, Belvidere, IL by 74%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Belvidere, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.80 MX$255
$11.07 $11.07
24.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.99 MX$887
$47.63 $47.63
0.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$197
$7.85 $7.85
35.67%
Cappuccino
$3.99 MX$73.7
$5.01 $5.01
-20.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 MX$30.76
$1.23 $1.23
34.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 MX$18.21
$1.52 $1.52
-34.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 MX$43.64
$4.58 $4.58
-48.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 MX$81.8
$6.09 $6.09
-27.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Belvidere, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 MX$33.58
$0.69 $0.69
163.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.83 MX$52.4
$1.34 $1.34
111.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.44
$4.72 $4.72
-59.32%
Eggs
$2.48 MX$45.78
$2.48 $2.48
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.74 MX$217
$4.19 $4.19
180.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.10 MX$168
$10.66 $10.66
-14.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.53 MX$232
$16.47 $16.47
-23.92%
Apples (1kg)
$3.34 MX$61.6
$5.03 $5.03
-33.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 MX$29.10
$1.10 $1.10
42.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.16 MX$39.86
$5.26 $5.26
-58.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.47 MX$45.65
$1.71 $1.71
44.44%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$42.64
$1.53 $1.53
50.98%
Onion (1kg)
$2.68 MX$49.47
$0.83 $0.83
222.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 MX$26.90
$0.96 $0.96
52.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 MX$22.07
$2.03 $2.03
-41.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.75 MX$87.8
$5.83 $5.83
-18.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.58 MX$251
$11.14 $11.14
21.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 MX$35.52
$2.16 $2.16
-11.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$53.2
$3.24 $3.24
-11.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Belvidere, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 MX$14.66
$2.04 $2.04
-61.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.36 MX$579
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.59 MX$29.44
$3.43 $3.43
-53.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 MX$19.58
$1.91 $1.91
-44.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.80 MX$200
$44.63 $44.63
-75.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 MX$28.59
$0.84 $0.84
84.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2K MX$446.4K
$32.9K $32.9K
-26.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K MX$449.4K
$27.4K $27.4K
-11.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Belvidere, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 MX$2,159
$202 $202
-42.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.38 MX$488
$44.29 $44.29
-40.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.04 MX$481
$70.0 $70.0
-62.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Belvidere, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.26 MX$559
$41.94 $41.94
-27.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.25 MX$393
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.23 MX$96.6
$8.04 $8.04
-34.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Belvidere, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$673 MX$12.4K
$696 $696
-3.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K MX$205.2K
$21.4K $21.4K
-48.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Belvidere, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.1 MX$1,332
$49.38 $49.38
45.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.38 MX$783
$62.1 $62.1
-31.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 MX$2,066
$120 $120
-6.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 MX$2,200
$88.4 $88.4
34.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Belvidere, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$949 MX$17.5K
$1,597 $1,597
-40.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$666 MX$12.3K
$1,301 $1,301
-48.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,821 MX$33.7K
$2,537 $2,537
-28.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,271 MX$23.5K
$2,187 $2,187
-41.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,050 MX$74.8K
$2,757 $2,757
46.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,348 MX$43.4K
$2,356 $2,356
-0.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Belvidere, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,155 MX$21.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
6.63
77.83%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 18, 2026

Last update for Belvidere, IL: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$666
Belvidere, IL
$1.3K 95.2% $634
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$304
Belvidere, IL
$300 1.6% $4.8
Eating Out
Monterrey
$221
Belvidere, IL
$218 1.4% $3.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$169
Belvidere, IL
$317 87.1% $147
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$155
Belvidere, IL
$144 7.3% $11
Getting Around
Monterrey
$41
Belvidere, IL
$21 * 48.9% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$41
Belvidere, IL
$58 42.5% $17

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $949 in Monterrey versus $1,597 in Belvidere, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Monterrey versus $48.00 in Belvidere, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Monterrey vs $300 in Belvidere, IL – so Belvidere, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Belvidere, IL
🕒 Local time
22:45 10:45 PM
23:45 11:45 PM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
25,585
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Belvidere, IL 2,120 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Belvidere, IL

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 Belvidere, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Monterrey or Belvidere, IL?
Belvidere, IL costs about 48% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Monterrey and in Belvidere, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,399 per month in Monterrey and $3,538 in Belvidere, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Monterrey or Belvidere, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Monterrey, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Monterrey compared to Belvidere, IL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,599 in Monterrey and $2,359 in Belvidere, IL. That's a gap of about 48%.
How do childcare costs compare in Monterrey and in Belvidere, IL?
Kindergarten costs $673 per month in Monterrey and $696 in Belvidere, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Monterrey or in Belvidere, IL?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,599, than in Belvidere, IL at $2,359. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belvidere, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Monterrey or Belvidere, IL?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Monterrey costs $1,599 versus $2,359 in Belvidere, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Monterrey compared to Belvidere, IL?
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.
Should I move to Monterrey or to Belvidere, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Belvidere, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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