Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Tulsa, OK

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,607 a month against $2,298 in Tulsa, OK, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,607
/mo nomad
Tulsa, OK
🇺🇸 United States
$2,298
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Monterrey and in Tulsa, OK

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 Tulsa, OK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,607 in Monterrey versus $2,298 in Tulsa, OK.

  • Monterrey $1,607
  • Tulsa, OK $2,298

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,512 in Monterrey versus $3,423 in Tulsa, OK.

  • Monterrey $2,512
  • Tulsa, OK $3,423

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,417 in Monterrey versus $4,548 in Tulsa, OK.

  • Monterrey $3,417
  • Tulsa, OK $4,548

Living in Monterrey costs roughly 30% less than in Tulsa, OK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 20% above, Tulsa, OK 71% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monterrey
Tulsa, OK
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.75 MX$252
$16.26 $16.26
-15.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.2 MX$921
$73.5 $73.5
-31.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.13 MX$204
$9.87 $9.87
12.77%
Cappuccino
$4.04 MX$74.2
$5.14 $5.14
-21.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 MX$31.29
$2.29 $2.29
-25.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 MX$18.17
$1.72 $1.72
-42.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 MX$44.21
$4.89 $4.89
-50.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 MX$82.3
$6.82 $6.82
-34.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
Tulsa, OK
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.92 MX$35.31
$1.10 $1.10
74.55%
White Bread (500g)
$2.89 MX$53.1
$3.44 $3.44
-15.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.67
$5.74 $5.74
-66.20%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$45.90
$4.10 $4.10
-39.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.30 MX$226
$14.99 $14.99
-17.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.33 MX$171
$12.17 $12.17
-23.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.07 MX$240
$15.67 $15.67
-16.59%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 MX$62.1
$4.40 $4.40
-23.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$29.02
$1.73 $1.73
-8.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 MX$40.45
$3.72 $3.72
-40.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.45 MX$44.89
$3.83 $3.83
-36.03%
Potato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$41.47
$2.68 $2.68
-15.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.74 MX$50.4
$2.89 $2.89
-5.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 MX$28.09
$1.93 $1.93
-20.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 MX$23.16
$2.27 $2.27
-44.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.84 MX$88.9
$9.88 $9.88
-51.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.59 MX$249
$13.26 $13.26
2.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 MX$35.01
$1.92 $1.92
-0.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 MX$56.3
$4.66 $4.66
-34.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Monterrey
Tulsa, OK
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 MX$14.60
$1.77 $1.77
-54.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$31.77 MX$583
$44.51 $44.51
-28.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.62 MX$29.78
$1.99 $1.99
-18.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.10 MX$20.17
$1.21 $1.21
-9.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.97 MX$201
$29.71 $29.71
-63.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$27.93
$0.93 $0.93
63.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K MX$392.4K
$35.4K $35.4K
-39.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K MX$467.6K
$25.2K $25.2K
1.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
Tulsa, OK
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 MX$2,198
$241 $241
-50.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.08 MX$497
$70.6 $70.6
-61.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.70 MX$490
$64.6 $64.6
-58.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
Tulsa, OK
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.15 MX$572
$48.08 $48.08
-35.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.95 MX$403
$19.81 $19.81
10.80%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$94.4
$14.71 $14.71
-65.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monterrey
Tulsa, OK
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$688 MX$12.6K
$1,156 $1,156
-40.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$209.8K
$25.6K $25.6K
-55.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
Tulsa, OK
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.9 MX$1,321
$74.5 $74.5
-3.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.30 MX$795
$62.6 $62.6
-30.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 MX$2,059
$122 $122
-8.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 MX$2,236
$149 $149
-18.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
Tulsa, OK
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$957 MX$17.6K
$1,250 $1,250
-23.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$670 MX$12.3K
$911 $911
-26.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,887 MX$34.7K
$2,023 $2,023
-6.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,305 MX$24.0K
$1,515 $1,515
-13.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,159 MX$76.4K
$1,798 $1,798
131.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,437 MX$44.7K
$1,688 $1,688
44.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monterrey
Tulsa, OK
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,133 MX$20.8K
$3,507 $3,507
-67.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.79
6.59
78.91%

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

Last update for Monterrey: October 4, 2026

Last update for Tulsa, OK: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Monterrey
$670
Tulsa, OK
$911 36% $241
Groceries & Markets
Monterrey
$312
Tulsa, OK
$398 27.4% $86
Eating Out
Monterrey
$224
Tulsa, OK
$276 23.2% $52
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monterrey
$174
Tulsa, OK
$377 117% $203
Clothing & Footwear
Monterrey
$157
Tulsa, OK
$184 16.9% $27
Getting Around
Monterrey
$42
Tulsa, OK
$60 41.7% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Monterrey
$41
Tulsa, OK
$77 87% $36

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Monterrey and $1,250 in Tulsa, OK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tulsa, OK pays 209% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Monterrey vs $73.0 in Tulsa, OK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $312 vs $398 per month, with Monterrey cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🇺🇸 Tulsa, OK
🕒 Local time
05:18 5:18 AM
06:18 6:18 AM
1 h ahead of Monterrey
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,142,994
413,066
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Monterrey Tulsa, OK 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Monterrey
  • Tulsa, OK

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 Tulsa, OK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Monterrey and in Tulsa, OK?
Monterrey and Tulsa, OK differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,607 vs $2,298 including rent). Monterrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 209% lower in Tulsa, OK. 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 Tulsa, OK?
Rent for a central apartment: $957 in Monterrey versus $1,250 in Tulsa, OK. 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 $50.0 versus $73.0 in Tulsa, OK. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Monterrey or Tulsa, OK?
All in, you'll spend $1,607 per month in Monterrey versus $2,298 in Tulsa, OK – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
At $1,607 in Monterrey versus $2,298 in Tulsa, OK, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Monterrey but tight or insufficient in Tulsa, OK. 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 Tulsa, OK?
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 Tulsa, OK?
Expats usually find Monterrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Tulsa, OK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Monterrey vs other spots: cost of living compared

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