Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Elizabethton, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $2,683 in Elizabethton, TN, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Monterrey, Mexico
Elizabethton, TN, United States
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Elizabethton, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,683
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Elizabethton, TN

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

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Monterrey vs $2,683 in Elizabethton, TN, rent included.

  • Monterrey $1,641
  • Elizabethton, TN $2,683

A couple spends around $2,573 per month in Monterrey vs $3,922 in Elizabethton, TN, rent included.

  • Monterrey $2,573
  • Elizabethton, TN $3,922

A family of three spends $3,504 per month in Monterrey vs $5,162 in Elizabethton, TN, rent included.

  • Monterrey $3,504
  • Elizabethton, TN $5,162

Monterrey is about 39% cheaper than Elizabethton, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Monterrey and Elizabethton, TN sit above the global median – Monterrey by 21%, Elizabethton, TN by 98%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Elizabethton, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.37 MX$249
$20.31 $20.31
-34.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.95 MX$892
$67.6 $67.6
-29.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 MX$201
$11.46 $11.46
-5.85%
Cappuccino
$3.77 MX$70.0
$5.49 $5.49
-31.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$28.09
$2.71 $2.71
-44.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MX$19.14
$1.96 $1.96
-47.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.48 MX$46.14
$5.85 $5.85
-57.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 MX$81.0
$7.44 $7.44
-41.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Elizabethton, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 MX$35.23
$1.06 $1.06
78.30%
White Bread (500g)
$2.85 MX$53.0
$3.48 $3.48
-18.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 MX$34.52
$4.26 $4.26
-56.34%
Eggs
$2.47 MX$45.86
$4.11 $4.11
-39.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.81 MX$220
$12.70 $12.70
-7.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.97 MX$167
$11.85 $11.85
-24.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$234
$17.34 $17.34
-27.51%
Apples (1kg)
$3.20 MX$59.4
$5.17 $5.17
-38.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$27.96
$1.61 $1.61
-6.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.52
$4.40 $4.40
-51.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 MX$43.39
$4.61 $4.61
-49.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 MX$41.34
$2.78 $2.78
-20.14%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 MX$48.07
$2.97 $2.97
-13.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 MX$26.88
$2.24 $2.24
-35.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.72
$2.20 $2.20
-44.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.80 MX$89.2
$10.54 $10.54
-54.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.30 MX$247
$15.16 $15.16
-12.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 MX$35.93
$1.99 $1.99
-3.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 MX$53.1
$3.45 $3.45
-17.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Elizabethton, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 MX$14.85
$1.96 $1.96
-59.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.94 MX$575
$60.4 $60.4
-48.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.83 MX$34.08
$3.86 $3.86
-52.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 MX$19.66
$1.97 $1.97
-46.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.82 MX$201
$29.81 $29.81
-63.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.39
$1.01 $1.01
45.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1K MX$447.9K
$27.2K $27.2K
-11.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.7K
$24.0K $24.0K
-1.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Elizabethton, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 MX$2,132
$219 $219
-47.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.37 MX$490
$55.0 $55.0
-52.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.70 MX$478
$68.0 $68.0
-62.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Elizabethton, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.53 MX$568
$36.53 $36.53
-16.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.27 MX$396
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.96 MX$92.2
$16.01 $16.01
-69.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Elizabethton, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$679 MX$12.6K
$1,231 $1,231
-44.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K MX$263.8K
$22.1K $22.1K
-35.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Elizabethton, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.2 MX$1,343
$54.1 $54.1
33.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.94 MX$780
$41.61 $41.61
0.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 MX$1,999
$77.6 $77.6
38.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 MX$2,207
$124 $124
-4.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Elizabethton, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,018 MX$18.9K
$1,802 $1,802
-43.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$722 MX$13.4K
$1,329 $1,329
-45.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,966 MX$36.6K
$2,459 $2,459
-20.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,416 MX$26.3K
$2,245 $2,245
-36.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,203 MX$78.2K
$2,936 $2,936
43.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,782 MX$51.7K
$2,678 $2,678
3.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Elizabethton, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,096 MX$20.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
6.59
78.91%

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

Last update for Monterrey: November 2, 2026

Last update for Elizabethton, TN: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$722
Elizabethton, TN
$1.3K 84.3% $608
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$302
Elizabethton, TN
$401 32.8% $99
Eating Out
Monterrey
$216
Elizabethton, TN
$326 50.8% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$167
Elizabethton, TN
$342 105% $176
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$153
Elizabethton, TN
$134 12.6% $19
Getting Around
Monterrey
$41
Elizabethton, TN
$82 98.7% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$40
Elizabethton, TN
$69 69.5% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,018 in Monterrey versus $1,802 in Elizabethton, TN. 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 $48 in Monterrey versus $68 in Elizabethton, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $401 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Elizabethton, TN
🕒 Local time
12:20 12:20 PM
13:20 1:20 PM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
14,546
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 18.6 MXN (100 MXN = 5.38 USD). 1 EUR = 20.72 MXN (100 MXN = 4.83 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.897 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Elizabethton, TN 2,090 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Elizabethton, TN

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 Elizabethton, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Monterrey cheaper than Elizabethton, TN?
Yes – Elizabethton, TN is pricier by about 63%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,461 per month in Monterrey and $4,024 in Elizabethton, TN. 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 Monterrey, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,018 there versus $1,802 in Elizabethton, TN.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 49% less in Monterrey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $679 per month in Monterrey and $1,231 in Elizabethton, TN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $3,000 enough for either Monterrey or Elizabethton, TN?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,641 in Monterrey and $2,683 in Elizabethton, TN, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Monterrey or Elizabethton, TN more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Monterrey is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 39% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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