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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,581 per month in Monterrey vs $1,115 in Coatzacoalcos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,534 per month in Monterrey vs $1,778 in Coatzacoalcos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,488 per month in Monterrey vs $2,442 in Coatzacoalcos, rent included.

Monterrey costs about 42% more than Coatzacoalcos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Monterrey sits 19% above the global median, while Coatzacoalcos is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.12 MX$227
$10.75 MX$186
22.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$899
$39.39 MX$682
31.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.46 MX$181
$7.98 MX$138
31.08%
Cappuccino
$3.73 MX$64.5
$3.20 MX$55.4
16.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$24.23
$1.29 MX$22.29
8.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.17
$0.98 MX$17.02
7.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.69 MX$46.49
$2.32 MX$40.11
15.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33 MX$74.9
$3.92 MX$67.9
10.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 MX$28.77
$1.50 MX$25.98
10.67%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 MX$45.74
$2.63 MX$45.43
0.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.94
$1.63 MX$28.23
20.25%
Eggs
$2.62 MX$45.41
$2.34 MX$40.42
11.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.49 MX$181
$7.94 MX$137
32.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.88 MX$154
$7.66 MX$133
15.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.56 MX$235
$10.76 MX$186
26.02%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$52.8
$2.57 MX$44.50
18.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 MX$25.36
$1.43 MX$24.82
2.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 MX$35.22
$1.80 MX$31.18
13.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.07 MX$35.73
$1.57 MX$27.20
31.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.34 MX$40.47
$1.90 MX$32.96
23.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.52 MX$43.52
$1.99 MX$34.50
26.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 MX$27.17
$1.25 MX$21.65
25.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12 MX$19.31
$0.97 MX$16.82
15.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$73.9
$4.23 MX$73.3
0.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.06 MX$243
$11.86 MX$205
18.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 MX$31.00
$1.54 MX$26.64
16.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 MX$53.5
$2.83 MX$48.88
9.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.82 MX$14.19
$0.60 MX$10.43
36.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.01 MX$692
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.75 MX$30.28
$2.60 MX$45.06
-32.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.97 MX$16.78
$1.60 MX$27.64
-39.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.63 MX$184
$8.18 MX$141
29.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 MX$23.65
$1.27 MX$21.96
7.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K MX$455.2K
$21.0K MX$363.8K
25.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K MX$441.3K
$22.3K MX$386.6K
14.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 MX$2,125
$56.5 MX$978
117.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.58 MX$477
$21.83 MX$378
26.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.78 MX$515
$27.94 MX$483
6.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.38 MX$664
$36.34 MX$629
5.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.94 MX$380
$15.66 MX$271
40.10%
Cinema Ticket
$5.86 MX$101
$4.59 MX$79.4
27.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$347 MX$6,004
$205 MX$3,554
68.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,938 MX$154.6K
$3,633 MX$62.9K
146.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.2 MX$1,006
$52.9 MX$915
10.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.19 MX$747
$39.23 MX$679
10.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 MX$1,884
$91.1 MX$1,577
19.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126 MX$2,187
$80.0 MX$1,384
58.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 MX$15.6K
$504 MX$8,720
79.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$661 MX$11.4K
$391 MX$6,762
69.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$928 MX$16.1K
71.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,398 MX$24.2K
$774 MX$13.4K
80.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,267 MX$73.8K
$2,067 MX$35.8K
106.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,840 MX$49.1K
$1,147 MX$19.9K
147.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Coatzacoalcos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,135 MX$19.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.55
11.48
0.61%

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

Last update for Monterrey: July 27, 2026

Last update for Coatzacoalcos: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Monterrey versus $504 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 $52.0 in Monterrey versus $39.00 in Coatzacoalcos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 vs $252 – making Coatzacoalcos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 42%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,371 per month in Monterrey and $1,672 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 $52.0 in Monterrey and $39.00 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 17% 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 $1,115, than in Monterrey at $1,581. 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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