Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Meridian, MS

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,607 a month against $2,616 in Meridian, MS, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,607
/mo nomad
Meridian, MS
🇺🇸 United States
$2,616
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Meridian, MS

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 Meridian, MS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,607 per month in Monterrey vs $2,616 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

  • Monterrey $1,607
  • Meridian, MS $2,616

A couple spends around $2,512 per month in Monterrey vs $3,954 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

  • Monterrey $2,512
  • Meridian, MS $3,954

A family of three spends $3,417 per month in Monterrey vs $5,292 in Meridian, MS, rent included.

  • Monterrey $3,417
  • Meridian, MS $5,292

Monterrey is about 39% cheaper than Meridian, MS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Monterrey and Meridian, MS sit above the global median – Monterrey by 20%, Meridian, MS by 95%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Meridian, MS
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.75 MX$253
$26.06 $26.06
-47.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.2 MX$923
$107 $107
-52.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.13 MX$205
$10.35 $10.35
7.54%
Cappuccino
$4.04 MX$74.3
$4.02 $4.02
0.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 MX$31.33
$2.19 $2.19
-22.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 MX$18.19
$2.19 $2.19
-54.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 MX$44.27
$5.88 $5.88
-59.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 MX$82.5
$7.84 $7.84
-42.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Meridian, MS
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 MX$35.36
$0.89 $0.89
115.73%
White Bread (500g)
$2.89 MX$53.2
$4.20 $4.20
-31.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.72
$2.05 $2.05
-5.37%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$45.97
$3.95 $3.95
-36.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.30 MX$226
$15.46 $15.46
-20.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.33 MX$172
$8.50 $8.50
9.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.07 MX$240
$15.49 $15.49
-15.62%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 MX$62.2
$2.95 $2.95
14.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$29.07
$1.13 $1.13
39.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 MX$40.51
$2.81 $2.81
-21.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.45 MX$44.96
$4.34 $4.34
-43.55%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$41.54
$1.88 $1.88
20.21%
Onion (1kg)
$2.74 MX$50.4
$3.14 $3.14
-12.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 MX$28.13
$2.09 $2.09
-26.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 MX$23.19
$2.60 $2.60
-51.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.84 MX$89.0
$9.04 $9.04
-46.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.59 MX$250
$16.76 $16.76
-18.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 MX$35.06
$2.57 $2.57
-25.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 MX$56.4
$3.84 $3.84
-20.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Meridian, MS
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 MX$14.62
$2.29 $2.29
-65.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.77 MX$584
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.62 MX$29.82
$3.54 $3.54
-54.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 MX$20.20
$1.52 $1.52
-27.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.97 MX$202
$35.46 $35.46
-69.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$27.98
$0.94 $0.94
61.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$393.0K
$35.3K $35.3K
-39.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K MX$468.3K
$26.0K $26.0K
-2.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Meridian, MS
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 MX$2,201
$257 $257
-53.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.08 MX$498
$70.8 $70.8
-61.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.70 MX$491
$74.6 $74.6
-64.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Meridian, MS
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.15 MX$573
$45.81 $45.81
-32.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.95 MX$404
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$94.5
$12.27 $12.27
-58.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Meridian, MS
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$688 MX$12.6K
$606 $606
13.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$210.1K
$10.4K $10.4K
9.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Meridian, MS
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.9 MX$1,323
$58.4 $58.4
23.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.30 MX$796
$43.00 $43.00
0.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 MX$2,062
$87.6 $87.6
27.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 MX$2,240
$122 $122
0.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Meridian, MS
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$957 MX$17.6K
$1,609 $1,609
-40.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$670 MX$12.3K
$1,296 $1,296
-48.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,887 MX$34.7K
$2,520 $2,520
-25.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,305 MX$24.0K
$2,161 $2,161
-39.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,159 MX$76.5K
$2,720 $2,720
52.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,437 MX$44.8K
$2,250 $2,250
8.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Meridian, MS
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,133 MX$20.8K
$4,135 $4,135
-72.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
6.66
77.03%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 4, 2026

Last update for Meridian, MS: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$670
Meridian, MS
$1.3K 93.3% $626
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$312
Meridian, MS
$370 18.5% $58
Eating Out
Monterrey
$224
Meridian, MS
$350 56.6% $127
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$174
Meridian, MS
$402 132% $229
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$157
Meridian, MS
$140 11% $17
Getting Around
Monterrey
$42
Meridian, MS
$20 * 51.8% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$41
Meridian, MS
$70 69.8% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Monterrey versus $1,609 in Meridian, MS. 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 265% higher in Meridian, MS, 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 $107 in Meridian, MS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $312 vs $370 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Meridian, MS
🕒 Local time
09:36 9:36 AM
10:36 10:36 AM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
38,200
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 18.39 MXN (100 MXN = 5.44 USD). 1 EUR = 20.61 MXN (100 MXN = 4.85 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Meridian, MS 1,350 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Meridian, MS

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 Meridian, MS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Meridian, MS cheaper than Monterrey?
Yes – Meridian, MS is pricier by about 63%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,411 per month in Monterrey and $3,924 in Meridian, MS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Monterrey or in Meridian, MS?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Monterrey and $107 in Meridian, MS. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Monterrey and in Meridian, MS?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Meridian, MS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget for living in Monterrey or in Meridian, MS?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,607, than in Meridian, MS at $2,616. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Meridian, MS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Monterrey or Meridian, MS more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Monterrey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Meridian, MS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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