🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,127 in Villahermosa versus $1,574 in Monterrey.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,826 in Villahermosa versus $2,529 in Monterrey.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,525 in Villahermosa versus $3,484 in Monterrey.
🙂Living in Villahermosa costs roughly 28% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Villahermosa is 16% below, Monterrey is 17% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Villahermosa
Monterrey
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.78MX$185
$13.42MX$230
-19.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.78MX$580
$53.9MX$924
-37.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.66MX$183
$10.32MX$177
3.29%
Cappuccino
$3.17MX$54.4
$3.58MX$61.4
-11.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18MX$20.20
$1.43MX$24.60
-17.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01MX$17.41
$0.99MX$17.00
2.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.82MX$48.36
$2.59MX$44.41
8.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23MX$89.8
$4.27MX$73.4
22.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Villahermosa
Monterrey
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41MX$24.21
$1.67MX$28.69
-15.57%
White Bread(500g)
$1.55MX$26.59
$2.64MX$45.30
-41.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.35MX$23.12
$1.87MX$32.15
-27.81%
Eggs
$2.39MX$40.97
$2.67MX$45.90
-10.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.22MX$141
$10.49MX$180
-21.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.40MX$178
$9.13MX$157
13.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.11MX$225
$13.85MX$238
-5.34%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39MX$58.2
$3.04MX$52.3
11.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.30MX$22.39
$1.40MX$24.09
-7.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.62MX$27.76
$2.12MX$36.41
-23.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.16MX$19.99
$2.06MX$35.33
-43.69%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55MX$26.55
$2.23MX$38.25
-30.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.30MX$22.38
$2.56MX$43.99
-49.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.29MX$22.09
$1.53MX$26.22
-15.69%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06MX$18.20
$1.07MX$18.45
-0.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.02MX$86.2
$4.13MX$70.8
21.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.19MX$175
$14.34MX$246
-28.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.69MX$46.17
$1.79MX$30.68
50.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.53MX$112
$3.18MX$54.5
105.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Villahermosa
Monterrey
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.61MX$10.42
$0.77MX$13.16
-20.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$40.85MX$701
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.18MX$37.39
$1.73MX$29.77
26.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59MX$27.23
$0.96MX$16.44
65.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.22MX$141
$10.72MX$184
-23.32%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.23MX$21.15
$1.36MX$23.36
-9.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.6KMX$388.6K
$26.5KMX$454.9K
-14.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$447.6K
$25.9KMX$443.8K
0.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Villahermosa
Monterrey
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$60.4MX$1,037
$123MX$2,113
-50.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.94MX$497
$27.98MX$480
3.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.95MX$497
$29.71MX$510
-2.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Villahermosa
Monterrey
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.69MX$784
$37.13MX$637
23.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.66MX$269
$21.88MX$376
-28.43%
Cinema Ticket
$3.63MX$62.2
$5.71MX$97.9
-36.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Villahermosa
Monterrey
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$293MX$5,032
$348MX$5,972
-15.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,245MX$72.9K
$8,997MX$154.4K
-52.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Villahermosa
Monterrey
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.9MX$977
$59.9MX$1,028
-5.01%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.41MX$676
$43.22MX$742
-8.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$77.6MX$1,331
$109MX$1,878
-29.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.2MX$1,015
$130MX$2,228
-54.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Villahermosa
Monterrey
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$345MX$5,914
$894MX$15.3K
-61.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$372MX$6,379
$656MX$11.3K
-43.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$817MX$14.0K
$1,578MX$27.1K
-48.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$826MX$14.2K
$1,422MX$24.4K
-41.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,316MX$74.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,242MX$21.3K
$2,873MX$49.3K
-56.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Villahermosa
Monterrey
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,101MX$18.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.5
11.55
-0.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Villahermosa: June 9, 2026
Last update for Monterrey: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Villahermosa and $894 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $34.00 in Villahermosa vs $54.0 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $270 vs $297 per month, with Villahermosa 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
Villahermosa vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Villahermosa and Monterrey?
Villahermosa and Monterrey differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,127 vs $1,574 including rent). Villahermosa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Villahermosa compared to Monterrey?
You'd need roughly $1,691 in Villahermosa and $2,361 in Monterrey to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Villahermosa and Monterrey?
Rent for a central apartment: $345 in Villahermosa versus $894 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Villahermosa and Monterrey?
Childcare runs $293 in Villahermosa versus $348 in Monterrey. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Villahermosa – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $54.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,127 in Villahermosa versus $1,574 in Monterrey, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Villahermosa but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. The gap between the two cities makes Villahermosa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Villahermosa 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: Villahermosa or Monterrey?
Expats usually find Villahermosa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Villahermosa vs other spots: cost of living compared