Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Smithtown, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $2,653 in Smithtown, NY, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Monterrey, Mexico
Smithtown, NY, United States
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Smithtown, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,653
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Smithtown, NY

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 Smithtown, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Monterrey versus $2,653 in Smithtown, NY.

  • Monterrey $1,641
  • Smithtown, NY $2,653

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,573 in Monterrey versus $3,823 in Smithtown, NY.

  • Monterrey $2,573
  • Smithtown, NY $3,823

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,504 in Monterrey versus $4,993 in Smithtown, NY.

  • Monterrey $3,504
  • Smithtown, NY $4,993

Living in Monterrey costs roughly 38% less than in Smithtown, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 21% above, Smithtown, NY 96% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Smithtown, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.37 MX$251
$19.68 $19.68
-32.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.95 MX$900
$49.58 $49.58
-3.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 MX$203
$9.91 $9.91
8.88%
Cappuccino
$3.77 MX$70.7
$5.42 $5.42
-30.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$28.37
$2.15 $2.15
-29.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MX$19.33
$1.52 $1.52
-32.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.48 MX$46.60
$8.04 $8.04
-69.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 MX$81.8
$7.79 $7.79
-44.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Smithtown, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 MX$35.58
$1.31 $1.31
44.27%
White Bread (500g)
$2.85 MX$53.5
$4.19 $4.19
-31.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 MX$34.86
$7.43 $7.43
-74.97%
Eggs
$2.47 MX$46.31
$5.72 $5.72
-56.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.81 MX$222
$12.60 $12.60
-6.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.97 MX$168
$6.12 $6.12
46.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$236
$17.32 $17.32
-27.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.20 MX$60.0
$5.50 $5.50
-41.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$28.23
$1.78 $1.78
-15.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.90
$6.35 $6.35
-66.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 MX$43.82
$6.04 $6.04
-61.42%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 MX$41.75
$5.52 $5.52
-59.78%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 MX$48.54
$3.92 $3.92
-34.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 MX$27.15
$2.87 $2.87
-49.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.94
$2.86 $2.86
-57.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.80 MX$90.1
$11.84 $11.84
-59.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.30 MX$250
$24.73 $24.73
-46.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 MX$36.28
$1.70 $1.70
13.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 MX$53.6
$5.34 $5.34
-46.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Smithtown, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 MX$15.00
$1.92 $1.92
-58.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.94 MX$581
$56.8 $56.8
-45.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.83 MX$34.42
$3.01 $3.01
-39.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 MX$19.86
$2.07 $2.07
-48.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.82 MX$203
$23.97 $23.97
-54.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.65
$1.17 $1.17
25.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1K MX$452.3K
$27.9K $27.9K
-13.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$442.0K
$26.6K $26.6K
-11.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Smithtown, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 MX$2,152
$215 $215
-46.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.37 MX$495
$74.3 $74.3
-64.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.70 MX$483
$55.6 $55.6
-53.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Smithtown, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.53 MX$573
$43.84 $43.84
-30.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.27 MX$400
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.96 MX$93.1
$11.91 $11.91
-58.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Smithtown, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$679 MX$12.7K
$2,436 $2,436
-72.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K MX$266.4K
$33.7K $33.7K
-57.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Smithtown, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.2 MX$1,356
$41.99 $41.99
71.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.94 MX$788
$57.1 $57.1
-26.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 MX$2,019
$59.9 $59.9
79.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 MX$2,228
$80.3 $80.3
47.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Smithtown, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,018 MX$19.1K
$1,561 $1,561
-34.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$722 MX$13.6K
$1,272 $1,272
-43.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,966 MX$36.9K
$2,604 $2,604
-24.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,416 MX$26.6K
$2,104 $2,104
-32.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,203 MX$78.9K
$2,745 $2,745
53.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,782 MX$52.2K
$2,510 $2,510
10.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Smithtown, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,096 MX$20.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
6.92
70.38%

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

Last update for Monterrey: November 2, 2026

Last update for Smithtown, NY: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$722
Smithtown, NY
$1.3K 76.2% $550
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$302
Smithtown, NY
$461 52.5% $159
Eating Out
Monterrey
$216
Smithtown, NY
$323 49.5% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$167
Smithtown, NY
$345 107% $178
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$153
Smithtown, NY
$108 29.7% $45
Getting Around
Monterrey
$41
Smithtown, NY
$78 88.9% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$40
Smithtown, NY
$68 67.3% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Monterrey and $1,561 in Smithtown, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48 in Monterrey vs $50 in Smithtown, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $461 per month, with Monterrey cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Smithtown, NY
🕒 Local time
19:52 7:52 PM
20:52 8:52 PM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
116,296
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.08 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Smithtown, NY 3,010 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Smithtown, NY

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 Smithtown, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Monterrey and in Smithtown, NY?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,641 in Monterrey and $2,653 in Smithtown, NY, so Monterrey is about 38% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Monterrey compared to Smithtown, NY?
You’d need roughly $2,461 in Monterrey and $3,979 in Smithtown, NY 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 Smithtown, NY?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,018 in Monterrey versus $1,561 in Smithtown, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Monterrey – a meal for two runs $48 versus $50 in Smithtown, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Monterrey or Smithtown, NY?
All in, you’ll spend $1,641 per month in Monterrey versus $2,653 in Smithtown, NY – Monterrey is about 38% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $3,000 go in Monterrey compared to Smithtown, NY?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Monterrey gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Monterrey and Smithtown, NY?
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.
Where should expats move: Monterrey or Smithtown, NY?
Expats usually find Monterrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Smithtown, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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