Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Tuxtla Gutierrez Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Tuxtla Gutierrez

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,618 in Monterrey versus $941 in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Monterrey versus $1,514 in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,552 in Monterrey versus $2,087 in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Living in Monterrey is roughly 72% more expensive than in Tuxtla Gutierrez, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Monterrey is 21% above, Tuxtla Gutierrez is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.41 MX$234

$7.24 MX$127

85.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 MX$921

$18.32 MX$320

187.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 MX$177

$6.88 MX$120

46.95%

Cappuccino

$3.73 MX$65.2

$3.58 MX$62.6

4.19%

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

$1.44 MX$25.23

$1.23 MX$21.43

17.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.55

$1.08 MX$18.88

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$46.66

$2.62 MX$45.77

1.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MX$73.4

$2.96 MX$51.8

41.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$29.10

$1.31 MX$22.94

26.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.48

$2.34 MX$40.87

16.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MX$34.07

$1.54 MX$27.01

26.62%

Eggs

$2.66 MX$46.56

$2.35 MX$41.10

13.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 MX$179

$23.81 MX$416

-57.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 MX$156

$6.92 MX$121

28.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MX$241

$10.79 MX$189

27.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MX$53.1

$2.57 MX$44.94

18.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.53

$1.15 MX$20.10

21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.23

$2.78 MX$48.53

-27.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.25

$1.55 MX$27.16

33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 MX$40.53

$1.45 MX$25.32

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.64

$2.11 MX$36.88

20.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MX$26.40

$1.05 MX$18.34

43.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.87

$0.51 MX$8.93

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MX$74.2

$3.99 MX$69.8

6.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 MX$250

$11.53 MX$202

23.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MX$31.22

$1.55 MX$27.04

15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 MX$55.5

$2.81 MX$49.18

13.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MX$13.50

$0.52 MX$9.05

48.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.89 MX$715

$28.99 MX$507

41.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 MX$30.71

$2.67 MX$46.69

-34.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MX$17.34

$2.63 MX$45.96

-62.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.39 MX$182

$5.20 MX$90.9

99.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.47

$1.32 MX$23.02

1.52%

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

$26.6K MX$465.9K

$20.9K MX$365.8K

27.34%

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

$25.6K MX$446.9K

$22.4K MX$392.3K

13.93%

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

$121 MX$2,122

$56.9 MX$995

113.25%

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

$27.40 MX$479

$21.59 MX$378

26.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.75 MX$520

$26.47 MX$463

12.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 MX$655

$49.57 MX$867

-24.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 MX$381

$13.04 MX$228

67.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 MX$100

$5.80 MX$101

-0.86%

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

$348 MX$6,079

$206 MX$3,609

68.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,983 MX$157.1K

$2,215 MX$38.7K

305.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 MX$1,034

$10.54 MX$184

460.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.88 MX$732

$16.02 MX$280

161.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,874

$53.0 MX$927

102.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 MX$2,242

$42.29 MX$739

203.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 MX$15.5K

$312 MX$5,457

184.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MX$11.3K

$228 MX$3,987

183.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 MX$27.6K

$778 MX$13.6K

102.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 MX$24.1K

$598 MX$10.5K

130.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,238 MX$74.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 MX$48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MX$19.8K

$511 MX$8,927

121.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

11.5

0.43%

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

Last update for Monterrey: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $889 in Monterrey and $312 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 122% 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: $53.0 in Monterrey vs $18.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $284 per month, with Tuxtla Gutierrez cheaper across the board.

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 Tuxtla Gutierrez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey and Tuxtla Gutierrez differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,618 vs $941 including rent). Tuxtla Gutierrez is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 122% higher in Monterrey, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $889 in Monterrey versus $312 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tuxtla Gutierrez – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $53.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,618 per month in Monterrey versus $941 in Tuxtla Gutierrez – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $941 in Tuxtla Gutierrez versus $1,618 in Monterrey, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tuxtla Gutierrez but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Tuxtla Gutierrez 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 Tuxtla Gutierrez gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.