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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Monterrey vs $1,367 in Cancun, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Monterrey vs $2,240 in Cancun, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,552 per month in Monterrey vs $3,112 in Cancun, rent included.

Monterrey costs about 18% more than Cancun, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Monterrey and Cancun sit above the global median – Monterrey by 21%, Cancun by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.41 MX$234

$13.37 MX$234

0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 MX$921

$54.0 MX$943

-2.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 MX$177

$10.08 MX$176

0.30%

Cappuccino

$3.73 MX$65.2

$3.56 MX$62.3

4.78%

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

$1.44 MX$25.23

$1.58 MX$27.66

-8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.55

$0.95 MX$16.68

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$46.66

$2.97 MX$52.0

-10.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MX$73.4

$4.59 MX$80.2

-8.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$29.10

$1.44 MX$25.11

15.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.48

$2.50 MX$43.77

8.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MX$34.07

$1.84 MX$32.19

5.98%

Eggs

$2.66 MX$46.56

$2.61 MX$45.57

1.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 MX$179

$11.54 MX$202

-11.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 MX$156

$8.40 MX$147

6.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MX$241

$10.97 MX$192

25.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MX$53.1

$3.14 MX$55.0

-3.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.53

$1.63 MX$28.58

-14.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.23

$3.13 MX$54.7

-35.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.25

$2.08 MX$36.36

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 MX$40.53

$2.18 MX$38.15

6.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.64

$2.23 MX$39.02

14.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MX$26.40

$1.08 MX$18.84

39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.87

$1.32 MX$23.13

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MX$74.2

$4.26 MX$74.4

-0.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 MX$250

$10.43 MX$182

36.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MX$31.22

$1.75 MX$30.58

2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 MX$55.5

$2.63 MX$46.02

20.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MX$13.50

$0.65 MX$11.30

18.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.89 MX$715

$59.1 MX$1,033

-30.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 MX$30.71

$4.34 MX$75.8

-59.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MX$17.34

$2.58 MX$45.20

-61.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.39 MX$182

$10.01 MX$175

3.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.47

$1.28 MX$22.34

4.69%

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

$26.6K MX$465.9K

$29.8K MX$520.8K

-10.55%

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

$25.6K MX$446.9K

$23.7K MX$415.1K

7.66%

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

$121 MX$2,122

$115 MX$2,018

5.12%

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

$27.40 MX$479

$22.90 MX$400

19.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.75 MX$520

$35.36 MX$618

-15.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 MX$655

$25.30 MX$442

48.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 MX$381

$24.43 MX$427

-10.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 MX$100

$5.95 MX$104

-3.36%

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

$348 MX$6,079

$202 MX$3,533

72.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,983 MX$157.1K

$5,302 MX$92.7K

69.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 MX$1,034

$54.2 MX$947

9.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.88 MX$732

$39.72 MX$695

5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,874

$82.2 MX$1,437

30.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 MX$2,242

$108 MX$1,881

19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 MX$15.5K

$626 MX$10.9K

42.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MX$11.3K

$457 MX$7,998

41.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 MX$27.6K

$1,282 MX$22.4K

22.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 MX$24.1K

$978 MX$17.1K

40.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,238 MX$74.1K

$1,287 MX$22.5K

229.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 MX$48.2K

$2,030 MX$35.5K

35.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MX$19.8K

$803 MX$14.0K

40.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

11.42

1.14%

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

Last update for Monterrey: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cancun: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $889 in Monterrey versus $626 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 41% 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 $54.0 in Cancun. Groceries tell a different story – $296 in Monterrey vs $281 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: $1,618 in Monterrey, $1,367 in Cancun – roughly 18% apart. Monterrey costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Monterrey and $2,051 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 $348 per month in Monterrey and $202 in Cancun. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $1,367, than in Monterrey at $1,618. 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 $1,367 in Cancun to $1,618 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.