😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,595 in Monterrey versus $1,177 in Manzanillo.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,536 in Monterrey versus $1,834 in Manzanillo.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,477 in Monterrey versus $2,491 in Manzanillo.
😐Living in Monterrey is roughly 35% more expensive than Manzanillo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Monterrey is 19% above, Manzanillo is 12% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.02MX$228
$10.79MX$189
20.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.6MX$938
$35.50MX$621
50.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.17MX$178
$11.04MX$193
-7.88%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$3.00MX$52.5
25.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44MX$25.24
$1.21MX$21.22
19.01%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.16
$1.24MX$21.68
-16.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.58MX$45.11
$2.14MX$37.43
20.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11MX$71.9
$3.76MX$65.8
9.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.67MX$29.31
$1.33MX$23.35
25.56%
White Bread(500g)
$2.63MX$46.07
$2.47MX$43.31
6.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.93MX$33.81
$1.32MX$23.02
46.21%
Eggs
$2.60MX$45.51
$2.06MX$36.07
26.21%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.47MX$183
$6.63MX$116
57.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.07MX$159
$5.14MX$89.9
76.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.42MX$235
$9.27MX$162
44.77%
Apples(1kg)
$3.16MX$55.2
$2.44MX$42.69
29.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.40MX$24.58
$1.42MX$24.87
-1.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.09MX$36.60
$1.53MX$26.81
36.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$36.56
$1.61MX$28.25
29.81%
Potato(1kg)
$2.32MX$40.64
$2.37MX$41.42
-2.11%
Onion(1kg)
$2.53MX$44.35
$2.83MX$49.48
-10.60%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55MX$27.16
$2.04MX$35.74
-24.02%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11MX$19.50
$1.17MX$20.55
-5.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25MX$74.4
$5.10MX$89.3
-16.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.83MX$207
$7.06MX$124
67.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80MX$31.46
$2.45MX$42.91
-26.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12MX$54.5
$2.54MX$44.42
22.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Manzanillo
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.75MX$13.16
$0.56MX$9.73
33.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.49MX$691
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.76MX$30.78
$2.36MX$41.37
-25.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99MX$17.35
$1.58MX$27.67
-37.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.60MX$186
$8.15MX$143
30.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.88
$1.27MX$22.19
3.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6KMX$465.7K
$20.6KMX$360.4K
29.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7KMX$450.3K
$23.4KMX$408.9K
10.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124MX$2,164
$124MX$2,165
-0.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.80MX$486
$15.89MX$278
74.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.57MX$517
$24.37MX$426
21.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.39MX$672
$29.11MX$509
31.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.87MX$383
$15.81MX$277
38.33%
Cinema Ticket
$5.95MX$104
$3.85MX$67.4
54.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$337MX$5,896
$53.1MX$929
534.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,908MX$155.9K
$3,556MX$62.2K
150.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.3MX$1,020
$48.80MX$854
19.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.99MX$735
$28.13MX$492
49.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$108MX$1,897
$122MX$2,128
-10.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$126MX$2,207
$128MX$2,241
-1.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Manzanillo
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$911MX$15.9K
$713MX$12.5K
27.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$660MX$11.5K
$407MX$7,118
62.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,570MX$27.5K
$934MX$16.3K
68.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,426MX$25.0K
$768MX$13.4K
85.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,178MX$73.1K
$1,704MX$29.8K
145.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,845MX$49.8K
$1,252MX$21.9K
127.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Manzanillo
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,113MX$19.5K
$398MX$6,967
179.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.55
11.07
4.34%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Monterrey: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Manzanillo: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $911 in Monterrey and $713 in Manzanillo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Monterrey pays 179% 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: $54.0 in Monterrey vs $35.00 in Manzanillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $226 per month, with Manzanillo cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Monterrey vs Manzanillo: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Monterrey and Manzanillo?
Monterrey and Manzanillo differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,595 vs $1,177 including rent). Manzanillo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Monterrey or Manzanillo?
Monterrey pays 179% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Monterrey and Manzanillo?
Rent for a central apartment: $911 in Monterrey versus $713 in Manzanillo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Monterrey. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Monterrey or Manzanillo?
All in, you'll spend $1,595 per month in Monterrey versus $1,177 in Manzanillo – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,177 in Manzanillo versus $1,595 in Monterrey, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Manzanillo but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Manzanillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Monterrey and Manzanillo?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Monterrey or Manzanillo?
Expats usually find Manzanillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Monterrey vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado