Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Lawrence, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,607 a month against $2,242 in Lawrence, KS, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Lawrence, KS
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Lawrence, KS Living Index

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Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,607

/mo nomad

Lawrence, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,242

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Lawrence, KS

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

A single person spends $1,607 per month in Monterrey vs $2,242 in Lawrence, KS, rent included.

Monterrey $1,607
Lawrence, KS $2,242

A couple spends around $2,512 per month in Monterrey vs $3,313 in Lawrence, KS, rent included.

Monterrey $2,512
Lawrence, KS $3,313

A family of three spends $3,417 per month in Monterrey vs $4,383 in Lawrence, KS, rent included.

Monterrey $3,417
Lawrence, KS $4,383

Monterrey is about 28% cheaper than Lawrence, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Monterrey and Lawrence, KS sit above the global median – Monterrey by 20%, Lawrence, KS by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.75 MX$253

$15.03 $15.03

-8.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 MX$923

$75.6 $75.6

-33.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 MX$205

$10.97 $10.97

1.46%

Cappuccino

$4.04 MX$74.3

$5.08 $5.08

-20.47%

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

$1.70 MX$31.33

$2.50 $2.50

-32.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$18.19

$1.82 $1.82

-45.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 MX$44.27

$5.88 $5.88

-59.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$82.5

$7.37 $7.37

-39.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 MX$35.36

$0.83 $0.83

131.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 MX$53.2

$3.13 $3.13

-7.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.72

$4.31 $4.31

-54.99%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$45.97

$3.91 $3.91

-36.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.30 MX$226

$11.06 $11.06

11.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 MX$172

$12.67 $12.67

-26.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 MX$240

$16.68 $16.68

-21.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 MX$62.2

$5.41 $5.41

-37.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$29.07

$2.11 $2.11

-25.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$40.51

$4.92 $4.92

-55.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$44.96

$4.13 $4.13

-40.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$41.54

$1.80 $1.80

25.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.74 MX$50.4

$2.96 $2.96

-7.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 MX$28.13

$1.69 $1.69

-9.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$23.19

$2.82 $2.82

-55.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 MX$89.0

$7.06 $7.06

-31.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 MX$250

$14.16 $14.16

-4.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 MX$35.06

$1.75 $1.75

9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 MX$56.4

$1.66 $1.66

84.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MX$14.62

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.77 MX$584

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 MX$29.82

$2.96 $2.96

-45.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MX$20.20

$1.36 $1.36

-19.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.97 MX$202

$25.50 $25.50

-56.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.98

$0.94 $0.94

61.70%

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

$21.4K MX$393.0K

$22.6K $22.6K

-5.56%

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

$25.5K MX$468.3K

$24.1K $24.1K

5.80%

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

$120 MX$2,201

$279 $279

-57.02%

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

$27.08 MX$498

$63.7 $63.7

-57.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 MX$491

$64.5 $64.5

-58.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.15 MX$573

$44.86 $44.86

-30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.95 MX$404

$12.06 $12.06

82.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$94.5

$12.24 $12.24

-58.01%

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

$688 MX$12.6K

$992 $992

-30.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$210.1K

$19.4K $19.4K

-41.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.9 MX$1,323

$51.8 $51.8

38.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.30 MX$796

$39.24 $39.24

10.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$2,062

$79.4 $79.4

41.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,240

$102 $102

19.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 MX$17.6K

$1,191 $1,191

-19.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 MX$12.3K

$907 $907

-26.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,887 MX$34.7K

$1,944 $1,944

-2.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 MX$24.0K

$1,665 $1,665

-21.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,159 MX$76.5K

$2,365 $2,365

75.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,437 MX$44.8K

$2,112 $2,112

15.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MX$20.8K

$3,805 $3,805

-70.22%

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 4, 2026

Last update for Lawrence, KS: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Monterrey

$670 41.4%

Lawrence, KS

$907 41.6% 35.3% $237

Groceries & Markets

Monterrey

$312 19.3%

Lawrence, KS

$391 17.9% 25.2% $79

Eating Out

Monterrey

$224 13.8%

Lawrence, KS

$275 12.6% 23.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monterrey

$174 10.7%

Lawrence, KS

$407 18.6% 134% $233

Clothing & Footwear

Monterrey

$157 9.7%

Lawrence, KS

$123 5.6% 22% $35

Getting Around

Monterrey

$42 2.6%

Lawrence, KS

$9.7 * 0.5% 76.9% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Monterrey

$41 2.6%

Lawrence, KS

$69 3.2% 67.3% $28

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Monterrey versus $1,191 in Lawrence, KS. 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 236% higher in Lawrence, KS, 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 $50.0 in Monterrey versus $76.0 in Lawrence, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $391 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🇺🇸 Lawrence, KS

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

04:42 4:42 AM

1 h ahead of Monterrey

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,142,994

95,358

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.44 USD

100 MXN = 4.85 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 11, 2026: 1 USD = 18.39 MXN (100 MXN = 5.44 USD). 1 EUR = 20.61 MXN (100 MXN = 4.85 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Monterrey Lawrence, KS 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Monterrey
Lawrence, KS

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 Lawrence, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lawrence, KS costs about 39% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,411 per month in Monterrey and $3,363 in Lawrence, KS. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Monterrey and $76.0 in Lawrence, KS. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Lawrence, KS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,607, than in Lawrence, KS at $2,242. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lawrence, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Monterrey costs $1,607 versus $2,242 in Lawrence, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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