Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Memphis, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,607 a month against $2,484 in Memphis, TN, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,607
/mo nomad
Memphis, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,484
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Memphis, TN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Monterrey and in Memphis, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,607 per month in Monterrey vs $2,484 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

  • Monterrey $1,607
  • Memphis, TN $2,484

A couple spends around $2,512 per month in Monterrey vs $3,630 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

  • Monterrey $2,512
  • Memphis, TN $3,630

A family of three spends $3,417 per month in Monterrey vs $4,775 in Memphis, TN, rent included.

  • Monterrey $3,417
  • Memphis, TN $4,775

Monterrey is about 35% cheaper than Memphis, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Monterrey and Memphis, TN sit above the global median – Monterrey by 20%, Memphis, TN by 85%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Memphis, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.75 MX$252
$17.83 $17.83
-22.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.2 MX$921
$74.9 $74.9
-33.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.13 MX$204
$12.10 $12.10
-8.02%
Cappuccino
$4.04 MX$74.2
$5.56 $5.56
-27.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 MX$31.29
$2.39 $2.39
-28.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 MX$18.17
$1.97 $1.97
-49.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 MX$44.21
$7.18 $7.18
-66.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 MX$82.3
$8.23 $8.23
-45.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Memphis, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 MX$35.31
$0.90 $0.90
113.33%
White Bread (500g)
$2.89 MX$53.1
$3.14 $3.14
-7.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.67
$4.01 $4.01
-51.62%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$45.90
$3.78 $3.78
-33.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.30 MX$226
$13.45 $13.45
-8.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.33 MX$171
$11.36 $11.36
-17.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.07 MX$240
$19.44 $19.44
-32.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 MX$62.1
$5.73 $5.73
-41.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$29.02
$1.77 $1.77
-10.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 MX$40.45
$6.00 $6.00
-63.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.45 MX$44.89
$4.83 $4.83
-49.28%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$41.47
$3.22 $3.22
-29.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.74 MX$50.4
$4.18 $4.18
-34.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 MX$28.09
$2.56 $2.56
-40.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 MX$23.16
$2.13 $2.13
-40.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.84 MX$88.9
$10.63 $10.63
-54.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.59 MX$249
$12.87 $12.87
5.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 MX$35.01
$1.79 $1.79
6.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 MX$56.3
$1.64 $1.64
86.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Memphis, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 MX$14.60
$0.97 $0.97
-17.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.77 MX$583
$39.19 $39.19
-18.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.62 MX$29.78
$1.94 $1.94
-16.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 MX$20.17
$1.41 $1.41
-21.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.97 MX$201
$19.61 $19.61
-44.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$27.93
$0.99 $0.99
53.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$392.4K
$37.4K $37.4K
-42.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K MX$467.6K
$26.8K $26.8K
-4.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Memphis, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 MX$2,198
$186 $186
-35.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.08 MX$497
$86.8 $86.8
-68.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.70 MX$490
$76.2 $76.2
-64.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Memphis, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.15 MX$572
$31.38 $31.38
-0.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.95 MX$403
$16.72 $16.72
31.28%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$94.4
$15.15 $15.15
-66.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Memphis, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$688 MX$12.6K
$1,722 $1,722
-60.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$209.8K
$25.0K $25.0K
-54.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Memphis, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.9 MX$1,321
$47.26 $47.26
52.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.30 MX$795
$33.34 $33.34
29.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 MX$2,059
$82.7 $82.7
35.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 MX$2,236
$152 $152
-20.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Memphis, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$957 MX$17.6K
$1,495 $1,495
-35.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$670 MX$12.3K
$1,157 $1,157
-42.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,887 MX$34.7K
$2,080 $2,080
-9.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,305 MX$24.0K
$1,884 $1,884
-30.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,159 MX$76.4K
$1,781 $1,781
133.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,437 MX$44.7K
$1,364 $1,364
78.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Memphis, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,133 MX$20.8K
$3,648 $3,648
-68.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
6.6
78.64%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 4, 2026

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$670
Memphis, TN
$1.2K 72.7% $487
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$312
Memphis, TN
$406 30% $94
Eating Out
Monterrey
$224
Memphis, TN
$316 41% $92
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$174
Memphis, TN
$349 101% $176
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$157
Memphis, TN
$142 9.6% $15
Getting Around
Monterrey
$42
Memphis, TN
$52 23.8% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$41
Memphis, TN
$62 48.9% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Monterrey versus $1,495 in Memphis, TN. 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 222% higher in Memphis, TN, 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 $50.0 in Monterrey versus $75.0 in Memphis, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $406 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Memphis, TN
🕒 Local time
06:10 6:10 AM
07:10 7:10 AM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
633,104
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Memphis, TN 1,440 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Memphis, TN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Memphis, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Monterrey and in Memphis, TN compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,607 in Monterrey, $2,484 in Memphis, TN – roughly 55% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.
What salary covers living expenses in Monterrey compared to Memphis, TN?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,411 per month in Monterrey and $3,726 in Memphis, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Monterrey and Memphis, TN?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Monterrey and in Memphis, TN?
Public transport costs about 23% less in Monterrey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Monterrey and Memphis, TN?
Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Monterrey and $1,722 in Memphis, TN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,607, than in Memphis, TN at $2,484. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Memphis, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Monterrey and Memphis, TN?
It depends on your priorities. Monterrey has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,607 in Monterrey to $2,484 in Memphis, TN. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Monterrey and Memphis, TN?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Memphis, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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