Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tlalnepantla and Monterrey

For one person, living is cheaper in Tlalnepantla: $1,111 a month against $1,599 in Monterrey, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tlalnepantla
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,111
/mo nomad
Monterrey
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,599
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tlalnepantla 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 Tlalnepantla and in Monterrey actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,111 in Tlalnepantla versus $1,599 in Monterrey.

  • Tlalnepantla $1,111
  • Monterrey $1,599

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,935 in Tlalnepantla versus $2,493 in Monterrey.

  • Tlalnepantla $1,935
  • Monterrey $2,493

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,760 in Tlalnepantla versus $3,387 in Monterrey.

  • Tlalnepantla $2,760
  • Monterrey $3,387

Living in Tlalnepantla costs roughly 31% less than in Monterrey, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tlalnepantla is 18% below, Monterrey is 18% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tlalnepantla
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.84 MX$200
$13.80 MX$255
-21.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.95 MX$886
$47.99 MX$887
-0.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.52 MX$176
$10.65 MX$197
-10.61%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$66.3
$3.99 MX$73.7
-10.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.12
$1.66 MX$30.76
-4.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MX$19.12
$0.99 MX$18.21
4.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.30 MX$61.0
$2.36 MX$43.64
39.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.30 MX$98.0
$4.43 MX$81.8
19.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tlalnepantla
Monterrey
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.34
$1.82 MX$33.58
-6.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.85 MX$52.6
$2.83 MX$52.4
0.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 MX$35.66
$1.92 MX$35.44
0.52%
Eggs
$2.67 MX$49.27
$2.48 MX$45.78
7.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.12 MX$168
$11.74 MX$217
-22.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.85 MX$163
$9.10 MX$168
-2.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 MX$249
$12.53 MX$232
7.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$3.34 MX$61.6
-9.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 MX$28.99
$1.57 MX$29.10
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 MX$35.85
$2.16 MX$39.86
-10.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.88 MX$34.73
$2.47 MX$45.65
-23.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 MX$33.47
$2.31 MX$42.64
-21.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.73 MX$31.91
$2.68 MX$49.47
-35.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.54
$1.46 MX$26.90
-1.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 MX$22.75
$1.19 MX$22.07
3.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.46 MX$82.5
$4.75 MX$87.8
-6.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.23 MX$300
$13.58 MX$251
19.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 MX$34.57
$1.92 MX$35.52
-2.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.94 MX$72.8
$2.88 MX$53.2
36.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Tlalnepantla
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.16 MX$21.49
$0.79 MX$14.66
46.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.26 MX$430
$31.36 MX$579
-25.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 MX$60.6
$1.59 MX$29.44
106.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 MX$29.81
$1.06 MX$19.58
51.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.56 MX$103
$10.80 MX$200
-48.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.67
$1.55 MX$28.59
-7.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K MX$450.8K
$24.2K MX$446.4K
0.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2K MX$428.6K
$24.3K MX$449.4K
-4.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tlalnepantla
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.9 MX$1,070
$117 MX$2,159
-50.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.62 MX$510
$26.38 MX$488
4.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.55 MX$620
$26.04 MX$481
28.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tlalnepantla
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.45 MX$674
$30.26 MX$559
20.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.68 MX$345
$21.25 MX$393
-12.09%
Cinema Ticket
$6.36 MX$118
$5.23 MX$96.6
21.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tlalnepantla
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$267 MX$4,933
$673 MX$12.4K
-60.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,929 MX$91.1K
$11.1K MX$205.2K
-55.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tlalnepantla
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.2 MX$964
$72.1 MX$1,332
-27.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.99 MX$813
$42.38 MX$783
3.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.1 MX$1,832
$112 MX$2,066
-11.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 MX$1,930
$119 MX$2,200
-12.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tlalnepantla
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 MX$8,403
$949 MX$17.5K
-52.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$276 MX$5,104
$666 MX$12.3K
-58.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$623 MX$11.5K
$1,821 MX$33.7K
-65.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$812 MX$15.0K
$1,271 MX$23.5K
-36.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,941 MX$35.9K
$4,050 MX$74.8K
-52.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,292 MX$23.9K
$2,348 MX$43.4K
-44.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tlalnepantla
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$984 MX$18.2K
$1,155 MX$21.3K
-14.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
11.79
-4.16%

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

Last update for Tlalnepantla: October 17, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Tlalnepantla
$297
Monterrey
$304 2.7% $7.9
Accommodation & Living
Tlalnepantla
$276
Monterrey
$666 141% $390
Eating Out
Tlalnepantla
$196
Monterrey
$221 13.1% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Tlalnepantla
$135
Monterrey
$155 15.2% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tlalnepantla
$119
Monterrey
$169 42.1% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Tlalnepantla
$49
Monterrey
$41 17.2% $8.5
Getting Around
Tlalnepantla
$39
Monterrey
$41 5.5% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Tlalnepantla and $949 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 17% 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: $48.00 in Tlalnepantla vs $48.00 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $304 per month, with Tlalnepantla cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Tlalnepantla
🇲🇽 Monterrey
🕒 Local time
08:51 8:51 AM
08:51 8:51 AM
Same time as Tlalnepantla
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
653,410
1,142,994
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tlalnepantla Monterrey 690 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tlalnepantla
  • 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
Tlalnepantla vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tlalnepantla and in Monterrey?
Tlalnepantla and Monterrey differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,111 vs $1,599 including rent). Tlalnepantla 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 17% lower in Monterrey. 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 Tlalnepantla and in Monterrey?
Rent for a central apartment: $455 in Tlalnepantla versus $949 in Monterrey. 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 Tlalnepantla – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $48.00 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tlalnepantla or Monterrey?
All in, you'll spend $1,111 per month in Tlalnepantla versus $1,599 in Monterrey – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,111 in Tlalnepantla versus $1,599 in Monterrey, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tlalnepantla but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Tlalnepantla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Tlalnepantla and Monterrey?
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: Tlalnepantla or Monterrey?
Expats usually find Tlalnepantla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Tlalnepantla vs other spots: cost of living compared

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