Cost of Living Comparison Between Tlaxcala and Monterrey Cost of Living Comparison Between Tlaxcala and Monterrey

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $741 in Tlaxcala versus $1,596 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,189 in Tlaxcala versus $2,550 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,638 in Tlaxcala versus $3,504 in Monterrey.

Living in Tlaxcala costs roughly 54% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tlaxcala is 45% below, Monterrey is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 MX$93.4

$13.45 MX$233

-59.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.89 MX$362

$52.8 MX$915

-60.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 MX$99.6

$10.25 MX$178

-43.90%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MX$49.03

$3.74 MX$64.8

-24.33%

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

$1.27 MX$21.94

$1.40 MX$24.28

-9.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 MX$16.16

$1.04 MX$17.98

-10.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$2.66 MX$46.07

-51.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MX$31.20

$4.33 MX$75.1

-58.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.88

$1.59 MX$27.59

5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 MX$33.58

$2.62 MX$45.41

-25.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.40

$1.94 MX$33.66

-27.32%

Eggs

$2.15 MX$37.18

$2.68 MX$46.39

-19.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 MX$119

$10.37 MX$180

-33.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 MX$99.4

$9.24 MX$160

-37.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 MX$182

$13.47 MX$234

-21.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$3.19 MX$55.3

-30.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 MX$20.19

$1.45 MX$25.06

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 MX$28.88

$2.07 MX$35.92

-19.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 MX$20.29

$2.07 MX$35.88

-43.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.36

$2.27 MX$39.37

-60.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$2.57 MX$44.60

-58.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 MX$14.07

$1.50 MX$26.00

-46.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$19.08

$1.08 MX$18.68

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.0

$4.29 MX$74.3

-3.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 MX$174

$11.95 MX$207

-16.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 MX$23.66

$1.72 MX$29.85

-20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.72

$3.14 MX$54.4

-50.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MX$7.48

$0.82 MX$14.27

-47.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.89 MX$709

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 MX$38.25

$1.68 MX$29.18

31.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 MX$26.91

$1.01 MX$17.45

53.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 MX$142

$10.41 MX$180

-21.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 MX$20.70

$1.35 MX$23.31

-11.85%

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

$25.4K MX$440.3K

$25.9K MX$449.3K

-2.02%

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

$26.1K MX$452.5K

$26.2K MX$454.0K

-0.33%

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

$33.34 MX$578

$121 MX$2,095

-72.43%

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

$18.70 MX$324

$27.83 MX$482

-32.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.17 MX$575

$30.04 MX$521

10.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.48 MX$545

$37.56 MX$651

-16.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 MX$367

$21.96 MX$381

-3.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 MX$80.1

$5.75 MX$99.7

-19.65%

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

$239 MX$4,146

$336 MX$5,820

-28.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,536 MX$61.3K

$9,005 MX$156.0K

-60.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.19 MX$523

$59.7 MX$1,034

-49.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.09 MX$833

$42.75 MX$741

12.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,911

$108 MX$1,875

1.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,531

$127 MX$2,199

-30.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 MX$4,250

$908 MX$15.7K

-72.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 MX$2,691

$663 MX$11.5K

-76.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 MX$8,369

$1,572 MX$27.2K

-69.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MX$6,017

$1,424 MX$24.7K

-75.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,254 MX$73.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,862 MX$49.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$690 MX$12.0K

$1,129 MX$19.6K

-38.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

11.55

-9.09%

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

Last update for Tlaxcala: April 20, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Tlaxcala and $908 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 64% 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: $21 in Tlaxcala vs $53 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $291 per month, with Tlaxcala 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

Tlaxcala vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tlaxcala and Monterrey differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($741 vs $1,596 including rent). Tlaxcala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Monterrey earns 64% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $245 in Tlaxcala versus $908 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $239 in Tlaxcala versus $336 in Monterrey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tlaxcala – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $53.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $741 in Tlaxcala versus $1,596 in Monterrey, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tlaxcala but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Tlaxcala 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, Tlaxcala and Monterrey 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 Tlaxcala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.