Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Oak Lawn, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,599 a month against $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Oak Lawn, IL
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Oak Lawn, IL Living Index

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Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,599

/mo nomad

Oak Lawn, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,586

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,599 in Monterrey versus $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL.

Monterrey $1,599
Oak Lawn, IL $2,586

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,493 in Monterrey versus $3,492 in Oak Lawn, IL.

Monterrey $2,493
Oak Lawn, IL $3,492

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,387 in Monterrey versus $4,398 in Oak Lawn, IL.

Monterrey $3,387
Oak Lawn, IL $4,398

Living in Monterrey costs roughly 38% less than in Oak Lawn, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 18% above, Oak Lawn, IL 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.80 MX$255

$15.26 $15.26

-9.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.99 MX$887

$62.8 $62.8

-23.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$197

$7.77 $7.77

37.07%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$73.7

$5.43 $5.43

-26.52%

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

$1.66 MX$30.76

$2.16 $2.16

-23.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$18.21

$1.13 $1.13

-12.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 MX$43.64

$5.14 $5.14

-54.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MX$81.8

$5.15 $5.15

-13.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MX$33.58

$0.93 $0.93

95.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 MX$52.4

$2.37 $2.37

19.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.44

$3.41 $3.41

-43.70%

Eggs

$2.48 MX$45.78

$3.76 $3.76

-34.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 MX$217

$11.16 $11.16

5.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.10 MX$168

$8.61 $8.61

5.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.53 MX$232

$13.18 $13.18

-4.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 MX$61.6

$3.25 $3.25

2.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$29.10

$1.95 $1.95

-19.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 MX$39.86

$3.26 $3.26

-33.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$45.65

$3.29 $3.29

-24.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$42.64

$2.15 $2.15

7.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 MX$49.47

$1.11 $1.11

141.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$26.90

$2.06 $2.06

-29.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$22.07

$2.04 $2.04

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 MX$87.8

$9.87 $9.87

-51.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 MX$251

$9.96 $9.96

36.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MX$35.52

$2.06 $2.06

-6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$53.2

$3.32 $3.32

-13.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MX$14.66

$2.05 $2.05

-61.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.36 MX$579

$49.95 $49.95

-37.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 MX$29.44

$5.38 $5.38

-70.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 MX$19.58

$2.82 $2.82

-62.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.80 MX$200

$17.46 $17.46

-38.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$28.59

$1.12 $1.12

38.39%

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

$24.2K MX$446.4K

$15.9K $15.9K

52.07%

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

$24.3K MX$449.4K

$27.0K $27.0K

-10.08%

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

$117 MX$2,159

$220 $220

-46.89%

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

$26.38 MX$488

$53.0 $53.0

-50.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 MX$481

$66.1 $66.1

-60.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.26 MX$559

$42.21 $42.21

-28.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.25 MX$393

Cinema Ticket

$5.23 MX$96.6

$20.35 $20.35

-74.30%

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

$673 MX$12.4K

$1,336 $1,336

-49.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K MX$205.2K

$12.6K $12.6K

-12.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 MX$1,332

$47.58 $47.58

51.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 MX$783

$25.39 $25.39

66.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$2,066

$58.0 $58.0

92.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 MX$2,200

$50.8 $50.8

134.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 MX$17.5K

$1,601 $1,601

-40.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 MX$12.3K

$1,432 $1,432

-53.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 MX$33.7K

$2,851 $2,851

-36.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 MX$23.5K

$1,945 $1,945

-34.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,050 MX$74.8K

$2,575 $2,575

57.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,348 MX$43.4K

$2,733 $2,733

-14.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,155 MX$21.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.79

6.82

72.87%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 18, 2026

Last update for Oak Lawn, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Monterrey

$666 41.7%

Oak Lawn, IL

$1.4K 55.4% 115% $765

Groceries & Markets

Monterrey

$304 19%

Oak Lawn, IL

$313 12.1% 2.9% $9

Eating Out

Monterrey

$221 13.9%

Oak Lawn, IL

$260 10% 17.3% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monterrey

$169 10.6%

Oak Lawn, IL

$339 13.1% 100% $170

Clothing & Footwear

Monterrey

$155 9.7%

Oak Lawn, IL

$82 3.2% 47.4% $74

Getting Around

Monterrey

$41 2.6%

Oak Lawn, IL

$78 3% 87.4% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Monterrey

$41 2.6%

Oak Lawn, IL

$83 3.2% 104% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $949 in Monterrey and $1,601 in Oak Lawn, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Monterrey vs $63.0 in Oak Lawn, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $313 per month, with Monterrey cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🇺🇸 Oak Lawn, IL

🕒 Local time

17:47 5:47 PM

18:47 6:47 PM

1 h ahead of Monterrey

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,142,994

58,362

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Monterrey Oak Lawn, IL 2,120 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Monterrey
Oak Lawn, 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 Oak Lawn, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey and Oak Lawn, IL differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,599 vs $2,586 including rent). Monterrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,399 in Monterrey and $3,879 in Oak Lawn, 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $949 in Monterrey versus $1,601 in Oak Lawn, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Monterrey – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $63.0 in Oak Lawn, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,599 per month in Monterrey versus $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,599 in Monterrey versus $2,586 in Oak Lawn, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Monterrey but tight or insufficient in Oak Lawn, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Monterrey the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Monterrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Oak Lawn, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.