Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Mundelein, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,599 a month against $2,438 in Mundelein, IL, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,599
/mo nomad
Mundelein, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,438
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Mundelein, 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 Mundelein, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,599 in Monterrey versus $2,438 in Mundelein, IL.

  • Monterrey $1,599
  • Mundelein, IL $2,438

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,493 in Monterrey versus $3,620 in Mundelein, IL.

  • Monterrey $2,493
  • Mundelein, IL $3,620

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,387 in Monterrey versus $4,802 in Mundelein, IL.

  • Monterrey $3,387
  • Mundelein, IL $4,802

Living in Monterrey costs roughly 34% less than in Mundelein, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 18% above, Mundelein, IL 80% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.80 MX$255
$16.19 $16.19
-14.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.99 MX$887
$54.1 $54.1
-11.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$197
$7.90 $7.90
34.81%
Cappuccino
$3.99 MX$73.7
$5.76 $5.76
-30.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 MX$30.76
$3.20 $3.20
-48.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 MX$18.21
$2.45 $2.45
-59.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 MX$43.64
$6.90 $6.90
-65.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 MX$81.8
$7.91 $7.91
-43.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 MX$33.58
$0.75 $0.75
142.67%
White Bread (500g)
$2.83 MX$52.4
$3.48 $3.48
-18.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.44
$2.17 $2.17
-11.52%
Eggs
$2.48 MX$45.78
$3.78 $3.78
-34.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.74 MX$217
$14.69 $14.69
-20.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.10 MX$168
$12.93 $12.93
-29.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.53 MX$232
$19.83 $19.83
-36.81%
Apples (1kg)
$3.34 MX$61.6
$4.38 $4.38
-23.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 MX$29.10
$1.65 $1.65
-4.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.16 MX$39.86
$5.18 $5.18
-58.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.47 MX$45.65
$4.77 $4.77
-48.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$42.64
$2.75 $2.75
-16.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.68 MX$49.47
$3.07 $3.07
-12.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 MX$26.90
$2.11 $2.11
-30.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 MX$22.07
$2.32 $2.32
-48.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.75 MX$87.8
$10.62 $10.62
-55.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.58 MX$251
$15.81 $15.81
-14.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 MX$35.52
$2.71 $2.71
-29.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$53.2
$4.55 $4.55
-36.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Mundelein, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 MX$14.66
$2.24 $2.24
-64.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.36 MX$579
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.59 MX$29.44
$3.92 $3.92
-59.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 MX$19.58
$2.04 $2.04
-48.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.80 MX$200
$43.95 $43.95
-75.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 MX$28.59
$1.05 $1.05
47.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2K MX$446.4K
$31.0K $31.0K
-22.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K MX$449.4K
$25.7K $25.7K
-5.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 MX$2,159
$177 $177
-33.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.38 MX$488
$53.5 $53.5
-50.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.04 MX$481
$45.43 $45.43
-42.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.26 MX$559
$45.55 $45.55
-33.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.25 MX$393
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.23 MX$96.6
$15.18 $15.18
-65.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$673 MX$12.4K
$1,713 $1,713
-60.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K MX$205.2K
$23.0K $23.0K
-51.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.1 MX$1,332
$65.0 $65.0
10.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.38 MX$783
$49.73 $49.73
-14.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 MX$2,066
$105 $105
6.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 MX$2,200
$123 $123
-3.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Mundelein, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$949 MX$17.5K
$1,483 $1,483
-35.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$666 MX$12.3K
$1,199 $1,199
-44.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,821 MX$33.7K
$2,267 $2,267
-19.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,271 MX$23.5K
$2,114 $2,114
-39.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,050 MX$74.8K
$3,043 $3,043
33.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,348 MX$43.4K
$2,086 $2,086
12.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Mundelein, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,155 MX$21.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
6.69
76.23%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mundelein, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$666
Mundelein, IL
$1.2K 79.9% $532
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$304
Mundelein, IL
$416 36.5% $111
Eating Out
Monterrey
$221
Mundelein, IL
$295 33.3% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$169
Mundelein, IL
$276 62.8% $106
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$155
Mundelein, IL
$154 0.7% $1
Getting Around
Monterrey
$41
Mundelein, IL
$23 * 44.3% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$41
Mundelein, IL
$76 86.5% $35

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $949 in Monterrey and $1,483 in Mundelein, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Monterrey vs $54.0 in Mundelein, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $416 per month, with Monterrey cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Mundelein, IL
🕒 Local time
09:04 9:04 AM
10:04 10:04 AM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
31,560
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Mundelein, IL 2,160 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Mundelein, 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 Mundelein, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Monterrey and in Mundelein, IL?
Monterrey and Mundelein, IL differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,599 vs $2,438 including rent). Monterrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Monterrey compared to Mundelein, IL?
You'd need roughly $2,399 in Monterrey and $3,658 in Mundelein, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Monterrey and in Mundelein, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $949 in Monterrey versus $1,483 in Mundelein, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Monterrey and Mundelein, IL?
Childcare runs $673 in Monterrey versus $1,713 in Mundelein, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Monterrey – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $54.0 in Mundelein, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,599 in Monterrey versus $2,438 in Mundelein, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Monterrey but tight or insufficient in Mundelein, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Monterrey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Monterrey and Mundelein, IL?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Monterrey or Mundelein, IL safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Monterrey and Mundelein, IL are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Monterrey or Mundelein, IL?
Expats usually find Monterrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Mundelein, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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