Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Daule

For one person, living is cheaper in Daule: $855 a month against $1,608 in Monterrey, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Daule
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$855
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Daule

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Monterrey versus $855 in Daule.

  • Monterrey $1,608
  • Daule $855

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Monterrey versus $1,415 in Daule.

  • Monterrey $2,521
  • Daule $1,415

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,433 in Monterrey versus $1,976 in Daule.

  • Monterrey $3,433
  • Daule $1,976

Living in Monterrey is roughly 88% more expensive than in Daule, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Monterrey is 19% above, Daule is 37% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Daule
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.85 MX$256
$5.90 $5.90
134.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.70 MX$918
$54.4 $54.4
-8.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.05 MX$204
$7.52 $7.52
46.94%
Cappuccino
$4.09 MX$75.6
$3.43 $3.43
19.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$30.97
$1.39 $1.39
20.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MX$18.98
$1.14 $1.14
-9.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.40 MX$44.28
$3.41 $3.41
-29.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$80.3
$6.02 $6.02
-27.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Daule
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 MX$35.55
$1.15 $1.15
66.96%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 MX$54.2
$1.60 $1.60
83.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.88 MX$34.66
$1.52 $1.52
23.68%
Eggs
$2.55 MX$47.06
$2.09 $2.09
22.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.84 MX$219
$6.30 $6.30
87.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.36 MX$173
$5.46 $5.46
71.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.10 MX$242
$7.50 $7.50
74.67%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 MX$62.5
$2.33 $2.33
45.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$1.18 $1.18
28.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.51
$1.32 $1.32
65.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$43.63
$1.09 $1.09
116.51%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$41.76
$1.25 $1.25
80.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.73 MX$50.5
$1.03 $1.03
165.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 MX$28.17
$0.91 $0.91
67.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$22.90
$1.02 $1.02
21.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.75 MX$87.8
$5.92 $5.92
-19.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.66 MX$252
$10.19 $10.19
34.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 MX$34.95
$1.51 $1.51
25.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 MX$55.2
$3.19 $3.19
-6.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Daule
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 MX$15.78
$0.38 $0.38
123.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.95 MX$572
$16.38 $16.38
88.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 MX$30.98
$1.52 $1.52
10.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 MX$20.87
$1.52 $1.52
-25.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.15 MX$206
$10.02 $10.02
11.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.56 MX$28.91
$0.86 $0.86
81.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$395.8K
$20.8K $20.8K
3.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K MX$463.2K
$27.9K $27.9K
-10.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Daule
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$119 MX$2,206
$28.96 $28.96
312.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.21 MX$484
$18.12 $18.12
44.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.78 MX$495
$28.72 $28.72
-6.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Daule
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.03 MX$573
$25.86 $25.86
19.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.43 MX$396
$17.36 $17.36
23.44%
Cinema Ticket
$5.29 MX$97.7
$6.26 $6.26
-15.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Daule
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$691 MX$12.8K
$231 $231
199.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K MX$212.1K
$8,779 $8,779
30.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Daule
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.3 MX$1,335
$70.5 $70.5
2.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.72 MX$789
$49.15 $49.15
-13.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 MX$2,024
$118 $118
-7.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,158
$109 $109
7.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Daule
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$970 MX$17.9K
$269 $269
260.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$664 MX$12.3K
$211 $211
213.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,857 MX$34.3K
$668 $668
177.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,287 MX$23.8K
$381 $381
238.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,162 MX$76.9K
$1,216 $1,216
242.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,349 MX$43.4K
$755 $755
211.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Daule
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,146 MX$21.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
10.12
16.50%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 10, 2026

Last update for Daule: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$664
Daule
$211 68.1% $452
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$310
Daule
$196 36.8% $114
Eating Out
Monterrey
$225
Daule
$150 33.1% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$172
Daule
$76 56% $97
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$154
Daule
$156 1.5% $2.3
Getting Around
Monterrey
$42
Daule
$27 35.1% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$42
Daule
$38 7.8% $3.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $970 in Monterrey and $269 in Daule. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Monterrey vs $54.0 in Daule. Groceries flip the comparison at $310 vs $196, with Daule cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇪🇨 Daule
🕒 Local time
19:35 7:35 PM
20:35 8:35 PM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
173,684
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Daule 3,760 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Daule

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 Daule: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Daule cheaper than Monterrey?
Daule is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,412 in Monterrey and $1,282 in Daule to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Monterrey and Daule?
Rent for a central apartment: $970 in Monterrey versus $269 in Daule. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Monterrey or in Daule?
Dining out is cheaper in Daule – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $50.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Monterrey and in Daule?
All in, you'll spend $1,608 per month in Monterrey versus $855 in Daule – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Monterrey or in Daule?
At $855 in Daule versus $1,608 in Monterrey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Daule but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Daule the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Monterrey or Daule more family-friendly?
For families, Daule is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Monterrey, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Daule gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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