Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Summit, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,641 a month against $3,876 in Summit, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $26,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Monterrey, Mexico
Summit, NJ, United States
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,641
/mo nomad
Summit, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$3,876
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Summit, NJ

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 Summit, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Monterrey versus $3,876 in Summit, NJ.

  • Monterrey $1,641
  • Summit, NJ $3,876

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,573 in Monterrey versus $6,026 in Summit, NJ.

  • Monterrey $2,573
  • Summit, NJ $6,026

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,504 in Monterrey versus $8,176 in Summit, NJ.

  • Monterrey $3,504
  • Summit, NJ $8,176

Living in Monterrey costs roughly 58% less than in Summit, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 21% above, Summit, NJ 187% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Summit, NJ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.37 MX$250
$24.87 $24.87
-46.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.95 MX$897
$98.4 $98.4
-51.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 MX$202
$10.83 $10.83
-0.37%
Cappuccino
$3.77 MX$70.4
$5.41 $5.41
-30.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$28.26
$2.12 $2.12
-28.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MX$19.25
$1.52 $1.52
-32.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.48 MX$46.41
$8.22 $8.22
-69.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 MX$81.5
$8.17 $8.17
-46.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Summit, NJ
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 MX$35.43
$1.28 $1.28
47.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.85 MX$53.3
$4.16 $4.16
-31.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 MX$34.71
$6.23 $6.23
-70.14%
Eggs
$2.47 MX$46.12
$5.98 $5.98
-58.70%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.81 MX$221
$14.22 $14.22
-16.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.97 MX$168
$10.16 $10.16
-11.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$235
$17.43 $17.43
-27.88%
Apples (1kg)
$3.20 MX$59.8
$6.13 $6.13
-47.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$28.12
$1.80 $1.80
-16.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.74
$4.35 $4.35
-51.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 MX$43.64
$5.27 $5.27
-55.79%
Potato (1kg)
$2.22 MX$41.58
$3.02 $3.02
-26.49%
Onion (1kg)
$2.58 MX$48.34
$3.66 $3.66
-29.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.45 MX$27.04
$3.05 $3.05
-52.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 MX$22.85
$2.96 $2.96
-58.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.80 MX$89.7
$11.58 $11.58
-58.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.30 MX$249
$20.21 $20.21
-34.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 MX$36.14
$1.77 $1.77
9.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 MX$53.4
$5.38 $5.38
-46.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Summit, NJ
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 MX$14.94
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.94 MX$579
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.83 MX$34.28
$3.06 $3.06
-40.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 MX$19.78
$2.00 $2.00
-47.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.82 MX$202
$24.36 $24.36
-55.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.54
$1.13 $1.13
30.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1K MX$450.4K
$27.9K $27.9K
-13.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.2K
$26.3K $26.3K
-10.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Summit, NJ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 MX$2,144
$211 $211
-45.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.37 MX$493
$60.5 $60.5
-56.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.70 MX$481
$50.5 $50.5
-49.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Summit, NJ
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.53 MX$571
$79.4 $79.4
-61.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.27 MX$398
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.96 MX$92.8
$15.04 $15.04
-67.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Summit, NJ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$679 MX$12.7K
$1,716 $1,716
-60.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K MX$265.3K
$20.7K $20.7K
-31.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Summit, NJ
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.2 MX$1,350
$41.51 $41.51
73.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.94 MX$784
$57.3 $57.3
-26.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 MX$2,011
$76.3 $76.3
40.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 MX$2,219
$122 $122
-2.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Summit, NJ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,018 MX$19.0K
$2,777 $2,777
-63.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$722 MX$13.5K
$2,471 $2,471
-70.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,966 MX$36.8K
$5,498 $5,498
-64.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,416 MX$26.5K
$4,968 $4,968
-71.50%
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
Summit, NJ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,096 MX$20.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
6.72
75.45%

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

Last update for Monterrey: November 2, 2026

Last update for Summit, NJ: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$722
Summit, NJ
$2.5K 243% $1.7K
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$302
Summit, NJ
$458 51.7% $156
Eating Out
Monterrey
$216
Summit, NJ
$368 70.7% $153
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$167
Summit, NJ
$322 93% $155
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$153
Summit, NJ
$134 12.8% $20
Getting Around
Monterrey
$41
Summit, NJ
$13 * 68.4% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$40
Summit, NJ
$110 171% $69

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 $1,018 in Monterrey and $2,777 in Summit, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48 in Monterrey vs $98 in Summit, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $458 per month, with Monterrey cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Summit, NJ
🕒 Local time
12:27 12:27 PM
13:27 1:27 PM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
11,161
💱 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 = 21.01 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Summit, NJ 2,920 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Summit, NJ

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 Summit, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Monterrey and in Summit, NJ?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,641 in Monterrey and $3,876 in Summit, NJ, so Monterrey is about 58% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Monterrey compared to Summit, NJ?
You’d need roughly $2,461 in Monterrey and $5,814 in Summit, NJ 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 Summit, NJ?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,018 in Monterrey versus $2,777 in Summit, NJ. 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 Summit, NJ?
Childcare runs $679 in Monterrey versus $1,716 in Summit, NJ. 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 versus $98 in Summit, NJ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,641 in Monterrey versus $3,876 in Summit, NJ, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Monterrey but tight or insufficient in Summit, NJ. 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 Summit, NJ?
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.

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