Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Jefferson City, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,599 a month against $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Jefferson City, MO
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Jefferson City, MO Living Index

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Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,599

/mo nomad

Jefferson City, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$1,858

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Jefferson City, MO

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 Jefferson City, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,599 in Monterrey versus $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO.

Monterrey $1,599
Jefferson City, MO $1,858

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,493 in Monterrey versus $2,890 in Jefferson City, MO.

Monterrey $2,493
Jefferson City, MO $2,890

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,387 in Monterrey versus $3,922 in Jefferson City, MO.

Monterrey $3,387
Jefferson City, MO $3,922

Living in Monterrey costs roughly 14% less than in Jefferson City, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 18% above, Jefferson City, MO 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 MX$255

$14.97 $14.97

-7.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.99 MX$887

$39.52 $39.52

21.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$197

$9.98 $9.98

6.71%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$73.7

$5.49 $5.49

-27.32%

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

$1.66 MX$30.76

$2.04 $2.04

-18.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$18.21

$2.21 $2.21

-55.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 MX$43.64

$5.39 $5.39

-56.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MX$81.8

$6.34 $6.34

-30.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MX$33.58

$0.91 $0.91

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 MX$52.4

$3.26 $3.26

-13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.44

$4.44 $4.44

-56.76%

Eggs

$2.48 MX$45.78

$4.26 $4.26

-41.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 MX$217

$4.39 $4.39

167.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.10 MX$168

$9.71 $9.71

-6.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.53 MX$232

$13.38 $13.38

-6.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 MX$61.6

$4.31 $4.31

-22.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$29.10

$1.61 $1.61

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 MX$39.86

$4.36 $4.36

-50.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$45.65

$4.28 $4.28

-42.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$42.64

$3.21 $3.21

-28.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 MX$49.47

$3.33 $3.33

-19.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$26.90

$2.42 $2.42

-39.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$22.07

$1.96 $1.96

-39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 MX$87.8

$7.97 $7.97

-40.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 MX$251

$12.74 $12.74

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MX$35.52

$1.94 $1.94

-1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$53.2

$3.83 $3.83

-24.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MX$14.66

$3.08 $3.08

-74.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.36 MX$579

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MX$29.44

$2.43 $2.43

-34.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 MX$19.58

$1.20 $1.20

-11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.80 MX$200

$60.8 $60.8

-82.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$28.59

$0.86 $0.86

80.23%

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

$24.2K MX$446.4K

$35.7K $35.7K

-32.30%

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

$24.3K MX$449.4K

$25.4K $25.4K

-4.32%

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

$117 MX$2,159

$204 $204

-42.87%

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

$26.38 MX$488

$65.7 $65.7

-59.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 MX$481

$69.8 $69.8

-62.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.26 MX$559

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.25 MX$393

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 MX$96.6

$15.12 $15.12

-65.41%

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

$673 MX$12.4K

$1,197 $1,197

-43.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K MX$205.2K

$21.2K $21.2K

-47.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 MX$1,332

$50.3 $50.3

43.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 MX$783

$42.76 $42.76

-0.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$2,066

$104 $104

7.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 MX$2,200

$126 $126

-5.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 MX$17.5K

$887 $887

6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 MX$12.3K

$709 $709

-6.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 MX$33.7K

$1,774 $1,774

2.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 MX$23.5K

$1,564 $1,564

-18.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,050 MX$74.8K

$1,537 $1,537

163.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,348 MX$43.4K

$1,743 $1,743

34.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,155 MX$21.3K

$1,915 $1,915

-39.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.79

6.56

79.73%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 18, 2026

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Monterrey

$666 41.7%

Jefferson City, MO

$709 38.2% 6.4% $43

Groceries & Markets

Monterrey

$304 19%

Jefferson City, MO

$341 18.3% 11.9% $36

Eating Out

Monterrey

$221 13.9%

Jefferson City, MO

$272 14.7% 22.9% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monterrey

$169 10.6%

Jefferson City, MO

$340 18.3% 101% $171

Clothing & Footwear

Monterrey

$155 9.7%

Jefferson City, MO

$145 7.8% 6.6% $10

Getting Around

Monterrey

$41 2.6%

Jefferson City, MO

$21 * 1.1% 49.8% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Monterrey

$41 2.6%

Jefferson City, MO

$30 * 1.6% 25.7% $10

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $949 in Monterrey and $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jefferson City, MO pays 66% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Monterrey vs $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO. Groceries flip the comparison at $304 vs $341, with Monterrey cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🇺🇸 Jefferson City, MO

🕒 Local time

15:11 3:11 PM

16:11 4:11 PM

1 h ahead of Monterrey

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,142,994

43,079

💱 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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Between locations

Monterrey Jefferson City, MO 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Monterrey
Jefferson City, MO

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 Jefferson City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Jefferson City, MO. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $949 in Monterrey versus $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $673 in Monterrey versus $1,197 in Jefferson City, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Monterrey – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,599 in Monterrey versus $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Monterrey but tight or insufficient in Jefferson City, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Monterrey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Monterrey is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Jefferson City, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Monterrey and Jefferson City, MO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Monterrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Jefferson City, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.