Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and East Chicago, IN

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,599 a month against $2,544 in East Chicago, IN, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in East Chicago, IN
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East Chicago, IN Living Index

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Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,599

/mo nomad

East Chicago, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,544

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in East Chicago, IN

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 East Chicago, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,599 per month in Monterrey vs $2,544 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Monterrey $1,599
East Chicago, IN $2,544

A couple spends around $2,493 per month in Monterrey vs $3,746 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Monterrey $2,493
East Chicago, IN $3,746

A family of three spends $3,387 per month in Monterrey vs $4,947 in East Chicago, IN, rent included.

Monterrey $3,387
East Chicago, IN $4,947

Monterrey is about 37% cheaper than East Chicago, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Monterrey and East Chicago, IN sit above the global median – Monterrey by 18%, East Chicago, IN by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 MX$255

$20.94 $20.94

-34.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.99 MX$887

$80.0 $80.0

-40.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$197

$10.63 $10.63

0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$73.7

$5.62 $5.62

-29.00%

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

$1.66 MX$30.76

$2.83 $2.83

-41.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$18.21

$2.27 $2.27

-56.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 MX$43.64

$6.14 $6.14

-61.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MX$81.8

$6.98 $6.98

-36.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MX$33.58

$1.01 $1.01

80.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 MX$52.4

$3.24 $3.24

-12.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.44

$4.29 $4.29

-55.24%

Eggs

$2.48 MX$45.78

$4.41 $4.41

-43.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 MX$217

$13.51 $13.51

-13.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.10 MX$168

$13.16 $13.16

-30.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.53 MX$232

$14.80 $14.80

-15.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 MX$61.6

$5.07 $5.07

-34.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$29.10

$1.68 $1.68

-6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 MX$39.86

$4.24 $4.24

-49.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$45.65

$4.06 $4.06

-39.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$42.64

$2.71 $2.71

-14.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 MX$49.47

$3.00 $3.00

-10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$26.90

$2.01 $2.01

-27.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$22.07

$2.20 $2.20

-45.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 MX$87.8

$10.89 $10.89

-56.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 MX$251

$13.64 $13.64

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MX$35.52

$2.17 $2.17

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$53.2

$3.33 $3.33

-13.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MX$14.66

$2.27 $2.27

-65.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.36 MX$579

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MX$29.44

$3.43 $3.43

-53.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 MX$19.58

$1.88 $1.88

-43.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.80 MX$200

$27.32 $27.32

-60.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$28.59

$0.92 $0.92

68.48%

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

$24.2K MX$446.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

-9.52%

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

$24.3K MX$449.4K

$24.1K $24.1K

0.89%

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

$117 MX$2,159

$200 $200

-41.61%

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

$26.38 MX$488

$58.1 $58.1

-54.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 MX$481

$69.0 $69.0

-62.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.26 MX$559

$38.78 $38.78

-21.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.25 MX$393

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 MX$96.6

$12.56 $12.56

-58.36%

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

$673 MX$12.4K

$1,575 $1,575

-57.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K MX$205.2K

$24.2K $24.2K

-54.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 MX$1,332

$45.67 $45.67

57.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 MX$783

$40.79 $40.79

3.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$2,066

$88.8 $88.8

25.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 MX$2,200

$109 $109

8.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 MX$17.5K

$1,611 $1,611

-41.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 MX$12.3K

$1,277 $1,277

-47.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 MX$33.7K

$2,510 $2,510

-27.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 MX$23.5K

$2,125 $2,125

-40.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,050 MX$74.8K

$2,782 $2,782

45.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,348 MX$43.4K

$2,636 $2,636

-10.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,155 MX$21.3K

$4,143 $4,143

-72.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.79

6.57

79.45%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 18, 2026

Last update for East Chicago, IN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Monterrey

$666 41.7%

East Chicago, IN

$1.3K 50.2% 91.6% $610

Groceries & Markets

Monterrey

$304 19%

East Chicago, IN

$394 15.5% 29.4% $90

Eating Out

Monterrey

$221 13.9%

East Chicago, IN

$332 13.1% 49.9% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monterrey

$169 10.6%

East Chicago, IN

$327 12.9% 93.3% $158

Clothing & Footwear

Monterrey

$155 9.7%

East Chicago, IN

$128 5% 17.5% $27

Getting Around

Monterrey

$41 2.6%

East Chicago, IN

$22 * 0.9% 47.1% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Monterrey

$41 2.6%

East Chicago, IN

$64 2.5% 57% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $949 in Monterrey versus $1,611 in East Chicago, IN. 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 259% higher in East Chicago, IN, 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 $48.00 in Monterrey versus $80.0 in East Chicago, IN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $394 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🇺🇸 East Chicago, IN

🕒 Local time

12:02 12:02 PM

13:02 1:02 PM

1 h ahead of Monterrey

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,142,994

26,370

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Monterrey East Chicago, IN 2,130 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Monterrey
East Chicago, IN

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 East Chicago, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – East Chicago, IN is pricier by about 59%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,399 per month in Monterrey and $3,815 in East Chicago, IN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,599 in Monterrey and $2,544 in East Chicago, IN. That's a gap of about 59%.

Kindergarten costs $673 per month in Monterrey and $1,575 in East Chicago, IN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,599, than in East Chicago, IN at $2,544. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in East Chicago, IN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Monterrey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, East Chicago, IN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.