Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Cloud, MN and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Monterrey: $1,608 a month against $1,891 in Saint Cloud, MN, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

91

Cost of Living Index in Saint Cloud, MN
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Saint Cloud, MN Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Monterrey
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Monterrey Living Index

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Saint Cloud, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,891

/mo nomad

Monterrey

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Cloud, MN and in Monterrey

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint Cloud, MN and in Monterrey actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,891 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $1,608 in Monterrey.

Saint Cloud, MN $1,891
Monterrey $1,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,697 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $2,521 in Monterrey.

Saint Cloud, MN $2,697
Monterrey $2,521

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,502 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $3,433 in Monterrey.

Saint Cloud, MN $3,502
Monterrey $3,433

Living in Saint Cloud, MN is roughly 18% more expensive than in Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint Cloud, MN 40% above, Monterrey 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 $14.94

$13.85 MX$256

7.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.42 $40.42

$49.70 MX$918

-18.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.45 $8.45

$11.05 MX$204

-23.53%

Cappuccino

$4.61 $4.61

$4.09 MX$75.6

12.71%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$1.68 MX$30.97

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.03 MX$18.98

110.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.40 MX$44.28

149.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 $5.09

$4.35 MX$80.3

17.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.92 MX$35.55

-53.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.94 MX$54.2

-49.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.88 MX$34.66

1.06%

Eggs

$3.79 $3.79

$2.55 MX$47.06

48.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 $9.60

$11.84 MX$219

-18.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$9.36 MX$173

-28.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 $18.94

$13.10 MX$242

44.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$3.38 MX$62.5

9.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.52 MX$28.13

-28.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.19 MX$40.51

26.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.36 MX$43.63

47.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.26 MX$41.76

-9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.73 MX$50.5

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.52 MX$28.17

27.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.24 MX$22.90

138.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.21 $11.21

$4.75 MX$87.8

136.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$13.66 MX$252

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.89 MX$34.95

-10.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.99 MX$55.2

1.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.85 MX$15.78

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 $61.2

$30.95 MX$572

97.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.68 MX$30.98

104.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.13 MX$20.87

-30.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.76 $11.76

$11.15 MX$206

5.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.56 MX$28.91

-42.95%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$21.4K MX$395.8K

40.12%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$25.1K MX$463.2K

-5.48%

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

$122 $122

$119 MX$2,206

2.08%

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

$45.73 $45.73

$26.21 MX$484

74.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.69 $44.69

$26.78 MX$495

66.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 $24.96

$31.03 MX$573

-19.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.73 $27.73

$21.43 MX$396

29.40%

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$5.29 MX$97.7

123.06%

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

$1,721 $1,721

$691 MX$12.8K

149.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,918 $5,918

$11.5K MX$212.1K

-48.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$72.3 MX$1,335

-21.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

$42.72 MX$789

17.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 $72.6

$110 MX$2,024

-33.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 $80.3

$117 MX$2,158

-31.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 $913

$970 MX$17.9K

-5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 $859

$664 MX$12.3K

29.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 $1,409

$1,857 MX$34.3K

-24.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 $1,255

$1,287 MX$23.8K

-2.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,038 $2,038

$4,162 MX$76.9K

-51.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,772 $1,772

$2,349 MX$43.4K

-24.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,949 $3,949

$1,146 MX$21.2K

244.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.79

-43.94%

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

Last update for Saint Cloud, MN: October 11, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Saint Cloud, MN

$859 45.4%

Monterrey

$664 41.3% 22.7% $195

Groceries & Markets

Saint Cloud, MN

$318 16.8%

Monterrey

$310 19.3% 2.5% $7.9

Eating Out

Saint Cloud, MN

$261 13.8%

Monterrey

$225 14% 13.8% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Cloud, MN

$212 11.2%

Monterrey

$172 10.7% 18.8% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Cloud, MN

$117 6.2%

Monterrey

$154 9.6% 31.5% $37

Getting Around

Saint Cloud, MN

$75 4%

Monterrey

$42 2.6% 44.7% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Cloud, MN

$49 2.6%

Monterrey

$42 2.6% 14.3% $6.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $913 in Saint Cloud, MN and $970 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Cloud, MN pays 244% 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: $40.00 in Saint Cloud, MN vs $50.0 in Monterrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $318 vs $310, with Monterrey cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Cloud, MN

🇲🇽 Monterrey

🕒 Local time

12:02 12:02 PM

11:02 11:02 AM

1 h behind Saint Cloud, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,109

1,142,994

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Saint Cloud, MN Monterrey 2,280 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Saint Cloud, MN
Monterrey

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

Saint Cloud, MN vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint Cloud, MN and Monterrey differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,891 vs $1,608 including rent). Monterrey is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 244% higher in Saint Cloud, MN, 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: $913 in Saint Cloud, MN versus $970 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Monterrey – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $40.00 in Saint Cloud, MN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,891 per month in Saint Cloud, MN versus $1,608 in Monterrey – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,608 in Monterrey versus $1,891 in Saint Cloud, MN, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Monterrey but tight or insufficient in Saint Cloud, MN. The gap between the two cities makes Monterrey 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 Monterrey gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Saint Cloud, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.