Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Zacatecas Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Zacatecas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,618 in Monterrey versus $944 in Zacatecas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Monterrey versus $1,493 in Zacatecas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,552 in Monterrey versus $2,042 in Zacatecas.

Living in Monterrey is roughly 72% more expensive than in Zacatecas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Monterrey is 21% above, Zacatecas is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.41 MX$234

$6.02 MX$105

122.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 MX$917

$31.09 MX$541

69.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 MX$176

$7.28 MX$127

38.87%

Cappuccino

$3.73 MX$64.9

$2.96 MX$51.6

26.01%

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

$1.44 MX$25.12

$1.22 MX$21.25

18.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.48

$0.70 MX$12.21

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$46.47

$1.81 MX$31.45

47.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$3.79 MX$65.9

10.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$28.98

$1.39 MX$24.21

19.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.28

$2.14 MX$37.21

27.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.93

$1.57 MX$27.26

24.20%

Eggs

$2.66 MX$46.37

$2.20 MX$38.31

20.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 MX$178

$7.26 MX$126

40.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 MX$155

$5.89 MX$103

51.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MX$240

$9.10 MX$158

51.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$1.74 MX$30.35

74.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.42

$1.49 MX$25.96

-6.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.09

$1.78 MX$30.97

13.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.10

$1.43 MX$24.94

44.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 MX$40.36

$1.80 MX$31.41

28.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.45

$2.02 MX$35.16

26.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MX$26.29

$1.37 MX$23.82

10.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$0.75 MX$13.11

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MX$73.9

$4.17 MX$72.6

1.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 MX$249

$10.90 MX$190

31.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MX$31.09

$1.63 MX$28.32

9.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 MX$55.3

$3.11 MX$54.1

2.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MX$13.44

$0.49 MX$8.48

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.89 MX$712

$16.10 MX$280

153.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$2.08 MX$36.19

-15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MX$17.27

$0.94 MX$16.36

5.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.39 MX$181

$11.50 MX$200

-9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.30 MX$22.70

3.08%

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

$26.6K MX$463.9K

$24.2K MX$422.0K

9.93%

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

$25.6K MX$445.0K

$23.9K MX$416.8K

6.78%

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

$121 MX$2,113

$22.53 MX$392

438.57%

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

$27.40 MX$477

$8.09 MX$141

238.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.75 MX$518

$25.10 MX$437

18.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 MX$652

$23.52 MX$410

59.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 MX$379

$7.80 MX$136

179.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 MX$100

$4.15 MX$72.3

38.55%

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

$348 MX$6,054

$191 MX$3,324

82.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,983 MX$156.4K

$3,190 MX$55.5K

181.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 MX$1,029

$43.23 MX$753

36.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.88 MX$729

$42.35 MX$737

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,867

$87.9 MX$1,531

21.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 MX$2,232

$42.12 MX$733

204.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 MX$15.5K

$239 MX$4,162

271.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MX$11.2K

$403 MX$7,013

60.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 MX$27.5K

$366 MX$6,372

330.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 MX$24.0K

$768 MX$13.4K

79.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,238 MX$73.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 MX$48.0K

$590 MX$10.3K

367.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MX$19.7K

$435 MX$7,577

160.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

11.48

0.61%

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

Last update for Monterrey: July 11, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $889 in Monterrey and $239 in Zacatecas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 160% 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 $31.00 in Zacatecas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $296 vs $221 per month, with Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monterrey and Zacatecas differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,618 vs $944 including rent). Zacatecas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 160% 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 $239 in Zacatecas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zacatecas – a meal for two runs $31.00 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 $944 in Zacatecas – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $944 in Zacatecas versus $1,618 in Monterrey, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zacatecas but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Zacatecas 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.

Safety-wise, Monterrey and Zacatecas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zacatecas 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.