Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Cancun Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Cancun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Monterrey vs $1,486 in Cancun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,638 per month in Monterrey vs $2,420 in Cancun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,583 per month in Monterrey vs $3,354 in Cancun, rent included.

Monterrey costs about 14% more than Cancun, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Monterrey and Cancun sit above the global median – Monterrey by 24%, Cancun by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.54 MX$250

$11.55 MX$198

25.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 MX$904

$58.3 MX$1,001

-9.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 MX$196

$11.66 MX$200

-1.89%

Cappuccino

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.00 MX$68.7

7.25%

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

$1.72 MX$29.48

$1.42 MX$24.38

21.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.00

$0.82 MX$14.12

35.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$50.7

$3.34 MX$57.3

-11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 MX$82.1

$4.56 MX$78.3

4.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 MX$35.10

$1.71 MX$29.41

19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 MX$53.0

$2.69 MX$46.15

14.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.72

$1.77 MX$30.36

10.73%

Eggs

$2.65 MX$45.42

$2.85 MX$48.89

-7.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 MX$218

$10.29 MX$177

23.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 MX$168

$9.28 MX$159

5.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 MX$232

$14.31 MX$246

-5.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 MX$59.3

$3.04 MX$52.1

13.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.14

$1.67 MX$28.63

-1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.35

$3.24 MX$55.6

-31.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 MX$43.87

$2.28 MX$39.16

12.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 MX$41.19

$2.02 MX$34.65

18.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 MX$49.38

$2.05 MX$35.12

40.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$27.37

$1.19 MX$20.40

33.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.96

$1.26 MX$21.66

6.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 MX$88.9

$4.62 MX$79.3

12.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.68 MX$252

$10.35 MX$178

41.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 MX$34.91

$1.68 MX$28.81

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 MX$54.4

$2.79 MX$47.83

13.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 MX$15.80

$0.68 MX$11.65

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.50 MX$575

$30.63 MX$526

9.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 MX$33.04

$4.69 MX$80.5

-59.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MX$20.38

$3.11 MX$53.3

-61.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.75 MX$202

$14.48 MX$249

-18.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MX$27.05

$1.57 MX$27.00

0.64%

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

$22.2K MX$381.5K

$22.7K MX$389.2K

-1.97%

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

$26.2K MX$449.6K

$25.0K MX$430.0K

4.57%

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

$124 MX$2,120

$177 MX$3,044

-30.36%

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

$28.25 MX$485

$24.78 MX$425

14.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.93 MX$479

$39.95 MX$686

-30.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.96 MX$566

$34.84 MX$598

-5.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.09 MX$396

$14.51 MX$249

59.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.52 MX$94.8

$7.69 MX$132

-28.22%

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

$730 MX$12.5K

$223 MX$3,822

228.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K MX$202.8K

$5,826 MX$100.0K

102.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 MX$1,379

$58.8 MX$1,009

36.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.45 MX$780

$59.3 MX$1,018

-23.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MX$2,051

$81.0 MX$1,391

47.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 MX$2,237

$99.6 MX$1,710

30.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 MX$18.0K

$688 MX$11.8K

52.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 MX$12.5K

$483 MX$8,282

50.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 MX$33.9K

$1,456 MX$25.0K

35.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 MX$23.8K

$1,155 MX$19.8K

19.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,432 MX$76.1K

$1,317 MX$22.6K

236.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 MX$45.0K

$2,042 MX$35.1K

28.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,168 MX$20.1K

$862 MX$14.8K

35.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

11.45

0.96%

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

Last update for Monterrey: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cancun: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Monterrey versus $688 in Cancun. 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 36% 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 $58.0 in Cancun. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Monterrey vs $297 in Cancun – so Cancun 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

Monterrey vs Cancun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,692 in Monterrey, $1,486 in Cancun – roughly 14% apart. Monterrey costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,539 per month in Monterrey and $2,229 in Cancun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $730 per month in Monterrey and $223 in Cancun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cancun, where all-in costs run around $1,486, than in Monterrey at $1,692. In Cancun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cancun has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,486 in Cancun to $1,692 in Monterrey. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cancun. 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.