Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Mazatlan Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Mazatlan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,604 per month in Monterrey vs $1,637 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,594 per month in Monterrey vs $2,241 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,584 per month in Monterrey vs $2,845 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Monterrey is about 2% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Monterrey and Mazatlan sit above the global median – Monterrey by 20%, Mazatlan by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.25 MX$230

$10.66 MX$185

24.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 MX$902

$44.24 MX$768

17.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 MX$176

$7.97 MX$138

27.48%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.2

$3.26 MX$56.6

13.50%

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

$1.44 MX$25.01

$1.42 MX$24.68

1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.15

$1.09 MX$18.87

-3.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 MX$44.48

$2.04 MX$35.34

25.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MX$74.0

$2.56 MX$44.45

66.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.87

$1.42 MX$24.59

13.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.95

$2.63 MX$45.65

3.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.40

$2.13 MX$37.04

-12.21%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.56

$2.28 MX$39.65

15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 MX$176

$7.94 MX$138

27.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 MX$157

$6.42 MX$112

40.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 MX$232

$7.39 MX$128

80.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 MX$55.3

$2.59 MX$44.87

23.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.20

$1.58 MX$27.41

-12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.77

$1.78 MX$30.94

12.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.27

$0.80 MX$13.91

161.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 MX$38.81

$2.26 MX$39.15

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 MX$43.59

$2.54 MX$44.00

-1.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MX$26.30

$1.21 MX$20.99

25.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.65

$1.07 MX$18.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MX$75.1

$3.87 MX$67.1

11.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 MX$257

$16.26 MX$282

-9.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 MX$30.75

$1.94 MX$33.67

-8.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 MX$53.0

$3.10 MX$53.8

-1.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 MX$13.99

$0.72 MX$12.49

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.93 MX$693

$40.43 MX$702

-1.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MX$30.07

$3.38 MX$58.7

-48.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 MX$17.33

$1.85 MX$32.08

-45.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.42 MX$146

23.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.26

$1.30 MX$22.64

3.08%

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

$26.9K MX$467.3K

$21.3K MX$370.3K

26.20%

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

$25.6K MX$445.1K

$22.6K MX$391.4K

13.73%

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

$120 MX$2,089

$54.9 MX$952

119.41%

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

$26.90 MX$467

$21.13 MX$367

27.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.12 MX$523

$41.00 MX$711

-26.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 MX$657

$42.69 MX$741

-11.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.69 MX$377

$16.12 MX$280

34.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.94 MX$103

$4.05 MX$70.3

46.67%

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

$338 MX$5,873

$85.1 MX$1,476

297.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,935 MX$155.1K

$1,899 MX$33.0K

370.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 MX$1,020

$61.8 MX$1,073

-4.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 MX$749

$26.55 MX$461

62.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,902

$105 MX$1,822

4.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 MX$2,248

$78.5 MX$1,363

64.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 MX$15.6K

$888 MX$15.4K

1.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 MX$11.2K

$886 MX$15.4K

-27.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 MX$28.0K

$1,410 MX$24.5K

14.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,405 MX$24.4K

$1,084 MX$18.8K

29.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,411 MX$76.6K

$1,692 MX$29.4K

160.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,937 MX$51.0K

$1,091 MX$18.9K

169.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,108 MX$19.2K

$568 MX$9,857

95.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

11.33

1.94%

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

Last update for Monterrey: June 13, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $898 in Monterrey versus $888 in Mazatlan. 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 95% higher in Monterrey, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Monterrey versus $44.00 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $248 – making Mazatlan 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 Mazatlan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,604 in Monterrey, $1,637 in Mazatlan – roughly 2% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,406 per month in Monterrey and $2,455 in Mazatlan. 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.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Monterrey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $338 per month in Monterrey and $85.1 in Mazatlan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,604, than in Mazatlan at $1,637. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mazatlan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,604 in Monterrey to $1,637 in Mazatlan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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