Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Miguel Hidalgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Miguel Hidalgo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,618 per month in Monterrey vs $1,105 in Miguel Hidalgo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Monterrey vs $1,906 in Miguel Hidalgo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,552 per month in Monterrey vs $2,707 in Miguel Hidalgo, rent included.

Monterrey costs about 47% more than Miguel Hidalgo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Monterrey sits 21% above the global median, while Miguel Hidalgo is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.41 MX$234

$10.73 MX$187

24.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 MX$917

$82.1 MX$1,430

-35.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 MX$176

$7.96 MX$139

27.01%

Cappuccino

$3.73 MX$64.9

$3.29 MX$57.2

13.37%

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

$1.44 MX$25.12

$1.24 MX$21.53

16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.48

$0.99 MX$17.16

1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$46.47

$2.31 MX$40.21

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$5.96 MX$104

-29.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$28.98

$1.48 MX$25.82

12.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.28

$2.65 MX$46.07

2.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.93

$1.56 MX$27.24

25.00%

Eggs

$2.66 MX$46.37

$2.31 MX$40.31

15.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 MX$178

$7.81 MX$136

30.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 MX$155

$8.84 MX$154

0.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MX$240

$10.49 MX$183

31.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$2.56 MX$44.64

18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.42

$1.40 MX$24.43

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.09

$1.76 MX$30.66

14.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.10

$1.64 MX$28.53

26.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 MX$40.36

$1.82 MX$31.77

27.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.45

$1.93 MX$33.52

32.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MX$26.29

$1.25 MX$21.80

20.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$1.02 MX$17.82

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MX$73.9

$4.16 MX$72.4

2.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 MX$249

$10.67 MX$186

33.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MX$31.09

$1.60 MX$27.81

11.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 MX$55.3

$2.85 MX$49.66

11.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MX$13.44

$0.66 MX$11.48

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.89 MX$712

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$2.65 MX$46.21

-33.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MX$17.27

$1.58 MX$27.53

-37.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.39 MX$181

$8.45 MX$147

22.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.28 MX$22.23

4.69%

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

$26.6K MX$463.9K

$21.5K MX$374.3K

23.93%

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

$25.6K MX$445.0K

$22.5K MX$392.6K

13.35%

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

$121 MX$2,113

$30.26 MX$527

300.99%

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

$27.40 MX$477

$22.26 MX$388

23.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.75 MX$518

$30.35 MX$529

-1.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 MX$652

$45.75 MX$797

-18.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 MX$379

$15.74 MX$274

38.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 MX$100

$4.53 MX$78.9

26.93%

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

$348 MX$6,054

$207 MX$3,600

68.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,983 MX$156.4K

$3,620 MX$63.0K

148.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 MX$1,029

$72.3 MX$1,260

-18.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.88 MX$729

$40.31 MX$702

3.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,867

$90.4 MX$1,574

18.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 MX$2,232

$78.0 MX$1,358

64.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 MX$15.5K

$515 MX$8,970

72.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MX$11.2K

$403 MX$7,012

60.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 MX$27.5K

$915 MX$15.9K

72.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 MX$24.0K

$755 MX$13.1K

82.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,238 MX$73.8K

$1,860 MX$32.4K

127.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 MX$48.0K

$1,240 MX$21.6K

122.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MX$19.7K

$559 MX$9,742

102.46%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Miguel Hidalgo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $889 in Monterrey versus $515 in Miguel Hidalgo. 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 102% 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 $53.0 in Monterrey versus $82.0 in Miguel Hidalgo. Groceries tell a different story – $296 in Monterrey vs $254 in Miguel Hidalgo – so Miguel Hidalgo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Miguel Hidalgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Monterrey is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Monterrey and $1,657 in Miguel Hidalgo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Miguel Hidalgo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Monterrey and $82.0 in Miguel Hidalgo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Monterrey, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Miguel Hidalgo, where all-in costs run around $1,105, than in Monterrey at $1,618. In Miguel Hidalgo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterrey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miguel Hidalgo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Miguel Hidalgo. 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.