Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Summerville, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $3,285 in Summerville, SC, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Monterrey, Mexico
Summerville, SC, United States
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Summerville, SC
🇺🇸 United States
$3,285
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Summerville, SC

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 Summerville, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Monterrey versus $3,285 in Summerville, SC.

  • Monterrey $1,641
  • Summerville, SC $3,285

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,573 in Monterrey versus $4,905 in Summerville, SC.

  • Monterrey $2,573
  • Summerville, SC $4,905

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,504 in Monterrey versus $6,524 in Summerville, SC.

  • Monterrey $3,504
  • Summerville, SC $6,524

Living in Monterrey costs roughly 50% less than in Summerville, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 21% above, Summerville, SC 143% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Summerville, SC
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.37 MX$250
$17.74 $17.74
-24.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.95 MX$897
$98.1 $98.1
-51.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 MX$202
$12.24 $12.24
-11.85%
Cappuccino
$3.77 MX$70.4
$6.88 $6.88
-45.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$28.26
$3.23 $3.23
-53.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MX$19.25
$2.18 $2.18
-52.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.48 MX$46.41
$8.38 $8.38
-70.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 MX$81.5
$7.95 $7.95
-45.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Summerville, SC
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 MX$35.43
$1.06 $1.06
78.30%
White Bread (500g)
$2.85 MX$53.3
$4.33 $4.33
-34.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 MX$34.71
$6.73 $6.73
-72.36%
Eggs
$2.47 MX$46.12
$3.23 $3.23
-23.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.81 MX$221
$15.49 $15.49
-23.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.97 MX$168
$24.35 $24.35
-63.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$235
$23.45 $23.45
-46.40%
Apples (1kg)
$3.20 MX$59.8
$8.10 $8.10
-60.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$28.12
$1.96 $1.96
-23.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.74
$8.61 $8.61
-75.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 MX$43.64
$7.79 $7.79
-70.09%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 MX$41.58
$3.82 $3.82
-41.88%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 MX$48.34
$4.66 $4.66
-44.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 MX$27.04
$3.23 $3.23
-55.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.85
$2.57 $2.57
-52.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.80 MX$89.7
$11.69 $11.69
-58.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.30 MX$249
$13.24 $13.24
0.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 MX$36.14
$2.43 $2.43
-20.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 MX$53.4
$2.33 $2.33
22.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Summerville, SC
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 MX$14.94
$0.73 $0.73
9.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.94 MX$579
$29.46 $29.46
5.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.83 MX$34.28
$4.91 $4.91
-62.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 MX$19.78
$1.52 $1.52
-30.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.82 MX$202
$34.41 $34.41
-68.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.54
$0.91 $0.91
61.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1K MX$450.4K
$30.8K $30.8K
-21.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.2K
$33.2K $33.2K
-29.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Summerville, SC
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 MX$2,144
$216 $216
-47.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.37 MX$493
$98.1 $98.1
-73.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.70 MX$481
$85.1 $85.1
-69.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Summerville, SC
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.53 MX$571
$34.00 $34.00
-10.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.27 MX$398
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.96 MX$92.8
$14.94 $14.94
-66.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Summerville, SC
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$679 MX$12.7K
$1,482 $1,482
-54.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K MX$265.3K
$22.0K $22.0K
-35.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Summerville, SC
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.2 MX$1,350
$54.8 $54.8
31.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.94 MX$784
$43.22 $43.22
-2.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 MX$2,011
$96.4 $96.4
11.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 MX$2,219
$117 $117
1.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Summerville, SC
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,018 MX$19.0K
$2,176 $2,176
-53.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$722 MX$13.5K
$1,731 $1,731
-58.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,966 MX$36.8K
$3,745 $3,745
-47.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,416 MX$26.5K
$3,015 $3,015
-53.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,203 MX$78.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,782 MX$52.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Summerville, SC
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,096 MX$20.5K
$4,973 $4,973
-77.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
6.67
76.76%

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

Last update for Monterrey: November 2, 2026

Last update for Summerville, SC: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$722
Summerville, SC
$1.7K 140% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$302
Summerville, SC
$566 87.3% $264
Eating Out
Monterrey
$216
Summerville, SC
$341 57.9% $125
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$167
Summerville, SC
$399 140% $233
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$153
Summerville, SC
$140 8.6% $13
Getting Around
Monterrey
$41
Summerville, SC
$45 8.8% $3.6
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$40
Summerville, SC
$64 57.9% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Monterrey and $2,176 in Summerville, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Summerville, SC pays about 4.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $48 in Monterrey vs $98 in Summerville, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $566 per month, with Monterrey cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Summerville, SC
🕒 Local time
17:49 5:49 PM
18:49 6:49 PM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
50,738
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.7 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.9 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Summerville, SC 2,110 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Summerville, SC

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 Summerville, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Monterrey and in Summerville, SC?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,641 in Monterrey and $3,285 in Summerville, SC, so Monterrey is about 50% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Monterrey. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Monterrey and in Summerville, SC?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,018 in Monterrey versus $2,176 in Summerville, SC. 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 $98 in Summerville, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Monterrey or Summerville, SC?
All in, you’ll spend $1,641 per month in Monterrey versus $3,285 in Summerville, SC – Monterrey is about 50% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,641 in Monterrey versus $3,285 in Summerville, SC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Monterrey but tight or insufficient in Summerville, SC. 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 Summerville, SC?
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.
How do I decide between Monterrey and Summerville, SC?
It comes down to priorities – Monterrey wins on affordability, Summerville, SC on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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