Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Moline, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,608 a month against $2,197 in Moline, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Moline, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,197
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Moline, IL

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 Moline, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Monterrey vs $2,197 in Moline, IL, rent included.

  • Monterrey $1,608
  • Moline, IL $2,197

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Monterrey vs $3,233 in Moline, IL, rent included.

  • Monterrey $2,521
  • Moline, IL $3,233

A family of three spends $3,433 per month in Monterrey vs $4,270 in Moline, IL, rent included.

  • Monterrey $3,433
  • Moline, IL $4,270

Monterrey is about 27% cheaper than Moline, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Monterrey and Moline, IL sit above the global median – Monterrey by 19%, Moline, IL by 63%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Moline, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.85 MX$256
$20.92 $20.92
-33.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.70 MX$918
$89.0 $89.0
-44.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.05 MX$204
$8.36 $8.36
32.18%
Cappuccino
$4.09 MX$75.6
$4.90 $4.90
-16.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 MX$30.97
$2.63 $2.63
-36.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MX$18.98
$1.52 $1.52
-32.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.40 MX$44.28
$3.90 $3.90
-38.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35 MX$80.3
$4.10 $4.10
6.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Moline, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 MX$35.55
$1.01 $1.01
90.10%
White Bread (500g)
$2.94 MX$54.2
$3.98 $3.98
-26.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.88 MX$34.66
$5.22 $5.22
-63.98%
Eggs
$2.55 MX$47.06
$3.32 $3.32
-23.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.84 MX$219
$14.40 $14.40
-17.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.36 MX$173
$11.74 $11.74
-20.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.10 MX$242
$15.37 $15.37
-14.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 MX$62.5
$5.15 $5.15
-34.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$1.56 $1.56
-2.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.51
$4.05 $4.05
-45.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$43.63
$4.92 $4.92
-52.03%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$41.76
$2.69 $2.69
-15.99%
Onion (1kg)
$2.73 MX$50.5
$2.71 $2.71
0.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 MX$28.17
$2.14 $2.14
-28.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$22.90
$2.74 $2.74
-54.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.75 MX$87.8
$13.99 $13.99
-66.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.66 MX$252
$14.84 $14.84
-7.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 MX$34.95
$1.67 $1.67
13.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 MX$55.2
$1.83 $1.83
63.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Moline, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 MX$15.78
$1.05 $1.05
-19.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.95 MX$572
$32.47 $32.47
-4.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.68 MX$30.98
$3.19 $3.19
-47.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.13 MX$20.87
$1.38 $1.38
-18.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.15 MX$206
$25.22 $25.22
-55.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.56 MX$28.91
$1.18 $1.18
32.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$395.8K
$36.4K $36.4K
-41.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K MX$463.2K
$24.1K $24.1K
3.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Moline, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$119 MX$2,206
$190 $190
-37.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.21 MX$484
$69.0 $69.0
-61.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.78 MX$495
$60.7 $60.7
-55.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Moline, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.03 MX$573
$49.98 $49.98
-37.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.43 MX$396
$38.94 $38.94
-44.97%
Cinema Ticket
$5.29 MX$97.7
$18.12 $18.12
-70.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Moline, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$691 MX$12.8K
$1,518 $1,518
-54.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K MX$212.1K
$24.2K $24.2K
-52.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Moline, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.3 MX$1,335
$66.6 $66.6
8.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.72 MX$789
$51.8 $51.8
-17.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 MX$2,024
$91.2 $91.2
20.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,158
$79.7 $79.7
46.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Moline, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$970 MX$17.9K
$986 $986
-1.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$664 MX$12.3K
$914 $914
-27.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,857 MX$34.3K
$1,440 $1,440
28.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,287 MX$23.8K
$1,311 $1,311
-1.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,162 MX$76.9K
$1,336 $1,336
211.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,349 MX$43.4K
$1,336 $1,336
75.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Moline, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,146 MX$21.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
5.56
112.05%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 10, 2026

Last update for Moline, IL: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$664
Moline, IL
$914 37.7% $250
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$310
Moline, IL
$405 30.3% $94
Eating Out
Monterrey
$225
Moline, IL
$295 31.6% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$172
Moline, IL
$320 85.5% $147
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$154
Moline, IL
$130 15.2% $23
Getting Around
Monterrey
$42
Moline, IL
$47 12.2% $5.1
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$42
Moline, IL
$86 107% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $970 in Monterrey versus $986 in Moline, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Monterrey versus $89.0 in Moline, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $310 vs $405 – making Monterrey the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Moline, IL
🕒 Local time
11:37 11:37 AM
12:37 12:37 PM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
42,985
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Moline, IL 1,980 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Moline, IL

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 Moline, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Monterrey or Moline, IL?
Moline, IL costs about 37% more than Monterrey, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Monterrey and in Moline, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Monterrey and $3,295 in Moline, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Monterrey or Moline, IL?
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 dining costs compare in Monterrey and in Moline, IL?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Monterrey and $89.0 in Moline, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Monterrey compared to Moline, IL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,608 in Monterrey and $2,197 in Moline, IL. That's a gap of about 37%.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Monterrey or in Moline, IL?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,608, than in Moline, IL at $2,197. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moline, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Monterrey or Moline, IL?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Monterrey costs $1,608 versus $2,197 in Moline, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Monterrey or to Moline, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moline, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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