😐A single person spends $1,574 per month in Monterrey vs $1,111 in Los Mochis, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,529 per month in Monterrey vs $1,729 in Los Mochis, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,484 per month in Monterrey vs $2,348 in Los Mochis, rent included.
😐Monterrey costs about 42% more than Los Mochis, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Monterrey sits 17% above the global median, while Los Mochis is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.42MX$230
$7.30MX$125
83.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9MX$924
$23.48MX$403
129.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.32MX$177
$8.69MX$149
18.76%
Cappuccino
$3.58MX$61.4
$3.44MX$59.0
4.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.60
$0.81MX$13.92
76.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99MX$17.00
$0.61MX$10.42
62.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.59MX$44.41
$2.24MX$38.41
15.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27MX$73.4
$4.05MX$69.6
5.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.67MX$28.69
$1.43MX$24.50
16.78%
White Bread(500g)
$2.64MX$45.30
$2.50MX$42.83
5.60%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.87MX$32.15
$1.63MX$28.01
14.72%
Eggs
$2.67MX$45.90
$2.29MX$39.28
16.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.49MX$180
$7.86MX$135
33.46%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.13MX$157
$7.65MX$131
19.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.85MX$238
$10.52MX$181
31.65%
Apples(1kg)
$3.04MX$52.3
$2.61MX$44.83
16.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.40MX$24.09
$1.46MX$25.03
-4.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.41
$1.74MX$29.81
21.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06MX$35.33
$1.58MX$27.04
30.38%
Potato(1kg)
$2.23MX$38.25
$1.93MX$33.14
15.54%
Onion(1kg)
$2.56MX$43.99
$1.94MX$33.29
31.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.53MX$26.22
$1.25MX$21.45
22.40%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.45
$0.99MX$16.96
8.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.13MX$70.8
$4.25MX$72.9
-2.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.34MX$246
$9.32MX$160
53.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79MX$30.68
$1.54MX$26.40
16.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18MX$54.5
$2.87MX$49.20
10.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.77MX$13.16
$0.56MX$9.61
37.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$40.85MX$701
$27.84MX$478
46.73%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.73MX$29.77
$2.67MX$45.84
-35.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.96MX$16.44
$1.56MX$26.74
-38.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.72MX$184
$4.12MX$70.7
160.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36MX$23.36
$1.30MX$22.29
4.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.5KMX$454.9K
$14.8KMX$254.1K
79.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9KMX$443.8K
$20.0KMX$343.6K
29.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123MX$2,113
$57.1MX$980
115.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.98MX$480
$30.15MX$517
-7.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.71MX$510
$20.83MX$358
42.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.13MX$637
$26.95MX$463
37.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.88MX$376
$15.78MX$271
38.66%
Cinema Ticket
$5.71MX$97.9
$4.03MX$69.2
41.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$348MX$5,972
$208MX$3,565
67.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,997MX$154.4K
$3,536MX$60.7K
154.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.9MX$1,028
$52.5MX$902
14.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.22MX$742
$39.31MX$675
9.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$109MX$1,878
$91.0MX$1,562
20.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130MX$2,228
$77.9MX$1,336
66.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$894MX$15.3K
$514MX$8,829
73.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$656MX$11.3K
$402MX$6,897
63.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,578MX$27.1K
$949MX$16.3K
66.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,422MX$24.4K
$756MX$13.0K
88.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,316MX$74.1K
$1,677MX$28.8K
157.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,873MX$49.3K
$1,147MX$19.7K
150.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Los Mochis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,101MX$18.9K
$681MX$11.7K
61.74%
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: June 8, 2026
Last update for Los Mochis: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $894 in Monterrey versus $514 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 62% 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 $54.0 in Monterrey versus $23.00 in Los Mochis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $244 – 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 42% 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 vs Los Mochis?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,361 per month in Monterrey and $1,666 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 $1,574 in Monterrey and $1,111 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 vs Los Mochis?
Public transport costs about 47% 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 Los Mochis?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Mochis, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Monterrey at $1,574. 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 $1,111 versus $1,574 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 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.