Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Coatzacoalcos Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Coatzacoalcos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Monterrey vs $1,229 in Coatzacoalcos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,638 per month in Monterrey vs $1,963 in Coatzacoalcos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,583 per month in Monterrey vs $2,696 in Coatzacoalcos, rent included.

Monterrey costs about 38% more than Coatzacoalcos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Monterrey sits 24% above the global median, while Coatzacoalcos is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.54 MX$250
$11.03 MX$189
31.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.7 MX$904
$52.6 MX$903
0.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.44 MX$196
$8.93 MX$153
28.11%
Cappuccino
$4.29 MX$73.7
$3.60 MX$61.7
19.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.48
$1.39 MX$23.90
23.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 MX$19.00
$0.96 MX$16.47
15.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$50.7
$3.00 MX$51.5
-1.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.78 MX$82.1
$4.72 MX$81.1
1.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 MX$35.10
$1.67 MX$28.63
22.16%
White Bread (500g)
$3.09 MX$53.0
$2.73 MX$46.86
13.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.72
$1.85 MX$31.69
5.95%
Eggs
$2.65 MX$45.42
$2.67 MX$45.84
-0.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.69 MX$218
$8.64 MX$148
46.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.80 MX$168
$10.23 MX$176
-4.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 MX$232
$12.68 MX$218
6.70%
Apples (1kg)
$3.45 MX$59.3
$3.33 MX$57.2
3.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 MX$28.14
$1.67 MX$28.68
-1.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.35
$2.34 MX$40.21
-4.70%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 MX$43.87
$1.72 MX$29.47
48.84%
Potato (1kg)
$2.40 MX$41.19
$2.21 MX$37.89
8.60%
Onion (1kg)
$2.88 MX$49.38
$2.13 MX$36.54
35.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.59 MX$27.37
$1.39 MX$23.86
14.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$22.96
$1.21 MX$20.76
10.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 MX$88.9
$5.14 MX$88.3
0.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.68 MX$252
$10.58 MX$182
38.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 MX$34.91
$2.04 MX$34.94
-0.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 MX$54.4
$2.98 MX$51.1
6.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.92 MX$15.80
$0.73 MX$12.57
26.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.50 MX$575
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$33.04
$2.73 MX$46.78
-29.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.19 MX$20.38
$1.93 MX$33.18
-38.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.75 MX$202
$11.64 MX$200
0.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.58 MX$27.05
$1.68 MX$28.88
-5.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2K MX$381.5K
$24.8K MX$425.5K
-10.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K MX$449.6K
$26.1K MX$448.3K
0.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 MX$2,120
$56.7 MX$973
117.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.25 MX$485
$26.86 MX$461
5.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.93 MX$479
$29.17 MX$501
-4.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.96 MX$566
$31.35 MX$538
5.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.09 MX$396
$18.55 MX$318
24.47%
Cinema Ticket
$5.52 MX$94.8
$4.91 MX$84.3
12.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$730 MX$12.5K
$231 MX$3,957
216.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K MX$202.8K
$5,273 MX$90.5K
124.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.3 MX$1,379
$63.5 MX$1,089
26.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.45 MX$780
$50.3 MX$863
-9.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 MX$2,051
$108 MX$1,855
10.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 MX$2,237
$79.2 MX$1,360
64.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 MX$18.0K
$641 MX$11.0K
63.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$728 MX$12.5K
$431 MX$7,392
69.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,975 MX$33.9K
$1,053 MX$18.1K
87.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,385 MX$23.8K
$831 MX$14.3K
66.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,432 MX$76.1K
$1,944 MX$33.4K
127.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,622 MX$45.0K
$1,193 MX$20.5K
119.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,168 MX$20.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.56
11.3
2.30%

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

Last update for Monterrey: September 12, 2026

Last update for Coatzacoalcos: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Monterrey versus $641 in Coatzacoalcos. 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 $53.0 in Monterrey versus $53.0 in Coatzacoalcos. Groceries tell a different story – $328 in Monterrey vs $290 in Coatzacoalcos – so Coatzacoalcos 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 Coatzacoalcos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coatzacoalcos cheaper than Monterrey?
Yes – Monterrey is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,539 per month in Monterrey and $1,843 in Coatzacoalcos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Coatzacoalcos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Monterrey or in Coatzacoalcos?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Monterrey and $53.0 in Coatzacoalcos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Monterrey and in Coatzacoalcos?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Monterrey, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Monterrey or in Coatzacoalcos?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Coatzacoalcos, where all-in costs run around $1,229, than in Monterrey at $1,692. In Coatzacoalcos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Monterrey or Coatzacoalcos more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Coatzacoalcos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Coatzacoalcos. 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.

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