Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Los Mochis Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Los Mochis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Monterrey vs $1,180 in Los Mochis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,638 per month in Monterrey vs $1,880 in Los Mochis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,583 per month in Monterrey vs $2,579 in Los Mochis, rent included.

Monterrey costs about 43% more than Los Mochis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Monterrey sits 24% above the global median, while Los Mochis is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.54 MX$251
$7.40 MX$128
96.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.7 MX$908
$35.33 MX$609
49.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.44 MX$197
$11.45 MX$197
-0.09%
Cappuccino
$4.29 MX$74.0
$3.45 MX$59.5
24.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.61
$1.17 MX$20.14
47.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 MX$19.09
$1.09 MX$18.73
1.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$50.9
$2.99 MX$51.5
-1.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.78 MX$82.4
$3.67 MX$63.2
30.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 MX$35.26
$1.66 MX$28.68
22.89%
White Bread (500g)
$3.09 MX$53.2
$2.60 MX$44.89
18.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.88
$1.58 MX$27.24
24.05%
Eggs
$2.65 MX$45.62
$2.28 MX$39.23
16.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.69 MX$219
$7.55 MX$130
68.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.80 MX$169
$9.20 MX$159
6.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 MX$233
$13.99 MX$241
-3.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.45 MX$59.6
$3.16 MX$54.5
9.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 MX$28.27
$1.51 MX$26.09
8.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.52
$1.92 MX$33.09
16.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 MX$44.07
$1.92 MX$33.14
33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.40 MX$41.37
$2.23 MX$38.46
7.62%
Onion (1kg)
$2.88 MX$49.60
$2.23 MX$38.53
29.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.59 MX$27.49
$1.43 MX$24.74
11.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$23.06
$1.18 MX$20.34
13.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.18 MX$89.3
$4.32 MX$74.5
19.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.68 MX$253
$11.02 MX$190
33.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 MX$35.06
$1.81 MX$31.18
12.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 MX$54.6
$3.73 MX$64.2
-15.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.92 MX$15.88
$0.67 MX$11.51
37.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.50 MX$578
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.92 MX$33.19
$2.82 MX$48.59
-31.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.19 MX$20.47
$2.14 MX$36.83
-44.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.75 MX$203
$11.32 MX$195
3.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.58 MX$27.17
$1.50 MX$25.82
5.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2K MX$383.3K
$22.6K MX$389.0K
-1.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K MX$451.6K
$25.7K MX$443.2K
1.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 MX$2,130
$68.9 MX$1,188
79.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.25 MX$487
$23.50 MX$405
20.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.93 MX$481
$31.10 MX$536
-10.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.96 MX$568
$35.81 MX$617
-7.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.09 MX$398
$21.66 MX$373
6.60%
Cinema Ticket
$5.52 MX$95.2
$5.63 MX$97.1
-1.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$730 MX$12.6K
$244 MX$4,205
199.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K MX$203.7K
$5,569 MX$96.0K
112.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.3 MX$1,385
$57.9 MX$999
38.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.45 MX$784
$44.93 MX$775
1.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 MX$2,060
$109 MX$1,884
9.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 MX$2,247
$92.8 MX$1,600
40.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 MX$18.1K
$642 MX$11.1K
63.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$728 MX$12.6K
$407 MX$7,022
78.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,975 MX$34.1K
$1,093 MX$18.8K
80.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,385 MX$23.9K
$824 MX$14.2K
68.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,432 MX$76.4K
$2,237 MX$38.6K
98.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,622 MX$45.2K
$1,043 MX$18.0K
151.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,168 MX$20.1K
$702 MX$12.1K
66.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.56
11.3
2.30%

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

Last update for Monterrey: September 12, 2026

Last update for Los Mochis: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Monterrey versus $642 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 66% 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 $53.0 in Monterrey versus $35.00 in Los Mochis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $280 – 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 43% 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 $2,539 per month in Monterrey and $1,770 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 do dining costs compare in Monterrey and in Los Mochis?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Monterrey and $35.00 in Los Mochis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Monterrey or in Los Mochis?
Groceries cost about 17% more in Monterrey, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
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 $1,180, than in Monterrey at $1,692. 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 $1,180 versus $1,692 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.

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