😐A single person spends $1,581 per month in Monterrey vs $1,077 in Los Mochis, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,534 per month in Monterrey vs $1,713 in Los Mochis, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,488 per month in Monterrey vs $2,349 in Los Mochis, rent included.
😐Monterrey costs about 47% more than Los Mochis, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Monterrey sits 19% above the global median, while Los Mochis is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.12MX$227
$7.35MX$127
78.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0MX$899
$23.57MX$408
120.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.46MX$181
$8.56MX$148
22.20%
Cappuccino
$3.73MX$64.5
$3.31MX$57.3
12.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40MX$24.23
$0.87MX$14.99
60.92%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05MX$18.17
$0.60MX$10.40
75.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.69MX$46.49
$2.24MX$38.81
20.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33MX$74.9
$4.06MX$70.3
6.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.66MX$28.77
$1.44MX$24.88
15.28%
White Bread(500g)
$2.64MX$45.74
$2.62MX$45.25
0.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.96MX$33.94
$1.56MX$26.91
25.64%
Eggs
$2.62MX$45.41
$2.38MX$41.21
10.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.49MX$181
$8.26MX$143
27.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.88MX$154
$7.82MX$135
13.55%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56MX$235
$10.71MX$185
26.61%
Apples(1kg)
$3.05MX$52.8
$2.60MX$45.02
17.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.47MX$25.36
$1.44MX$24.88
2.08%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.04MX$35.22
$1.80MX$31.18
13.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07MX$35.73
$1.60MX$27.66
29.37%
Potato(1kg)
$2.34MX$40.47
$1.84MX$31.91
27.17%
Onion(1kg)
$2.52MX$43.52
$1.95MX$33.73
29.23%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.57MX$27.17
$1.25MX$21.56
25.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.31
$0.99MX$17.08
13.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$73.9
$4.12MX$71.4
3.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.06MX$243
$11.91MX$206
18.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79MX$31.00
$1.54MX$26.71
16.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09MX$53.5
$2.77MX$47.84
11.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.82MX$14.19
$0.57MX$9.81
43.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.01MX$692
$27.69MX$479
44.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.75MX$30.28
$2.60MX$44.96
-32.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.97MX$16.78
$1.59MX$27.53
-38.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.63MX$184
$4.13MX$71.5
157.38%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37MX$23.65
$1.29MX$22.26
6.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3KMX$455.2K
$15.1KMX$260.6K
74.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5KMX$441.3K
$20.5KMX$354.4K
24.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123MX$2,125
$56.3MX$974
118.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.58MX$477
$29.86MX$517
-7.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.78MX$515
$21.24MX$368
40.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.38MX$664
$26.57MX$460
44.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.94MX$380
$15.60MX$270
40.64%
Cinema Ticket
$5.86MX$101
$4.08MX$70.6
43.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$347MX$6,004
$206MX$3,556
68.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,938MX$154.6K
$3,628MX$62.8K
146.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.2MX$1,006
$52.4MX$907
10.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.19MX$747
$40.24MX$696
7.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109MX$1,884
$88.4MX$1,529
23.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126MX$2,187
$78.1MX$1,351
61.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$903MX$15.6K
$518MX$8,963
74.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$661MX$11.4K
$391MX$6,758
69.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,595MX$27.6K
$950MX$16.4K
67.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,398MX$24.2K
$766MX$13.2K
82.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,267MX$73.8K
$2,124MX$36.7K
100.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,840MX$49.1K
$1,143MX$19.8K
148.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,135MX$19.6K
$691MX$12.0K
64.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.55
11.48
0.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Monterrey: July 27, 2026
Last update for Los Mochis: July 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Monterrey versus $518 in Los Mochis. 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 64% higher in Monterrey, 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 $52.0 in Monterrey versus $24.00 in Los Mochis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $296 vs $252 – making Los Mochis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Los Mochis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Monterrey or Los Mochis?
Monterrey costs about 47% more than Los Mochis, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Monterrey and in Los Mochis?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,371 per month in Monterrey and $1,616 in Los Mochis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Monterrey or Los Mochis?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Los Mochis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Monterrey compared to Los Mochis?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,581 in Monterrey and $1,077 in Los Mochis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How expensive is transport in Monterrey compared to Los Mochis?
Public transport costs about 44% less in Los Mochis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Monterrey or in Los Mochis?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Mochis, where all-in costs run around $1,077, than in Monterrey at $1,581. In Los Mochis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Monterrey or Los Mochis?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Mochis costs $1,077 versus $1,581 in Monterrey. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Monterrey or to Los Mochis?
If budget matters most, go with Los Mochis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monterrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.