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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $792 in Zacatecas versus $1,715 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,243 in Zacatecas versus $2,683 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,694 in Zacatecas versus $3,652 in Monterrey.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Zacatecas is 42% below, Monterrey is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 MX$115

$14.60 MX$246

-53.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.13 MX$576

$53.5 MX$904

-36.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 MX$130

$11.95 MX$202

-35.40%

Cappuccino

$3.18 MX$53.7

$4.29 MX$72.4

-25.87%

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

$1.30 MX$21.89

$1.73 MX$29.16

-24.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.74

$1.06 MX$17.96

-23.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$2.95 MX$49.86

-29.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$75.6

$4.73 MX$79.8

-5.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$25.68

$2.00 MX$33.71

-24.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 MX$38.87

$3.15 MX$53.2

-26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.10

$2.07 MX$34.87

-19.81%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$41.50

$2.78 MX$47.00

-11.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 MX$136

$13.18 MX$222

-39.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 MX$111

$10.11 MX$171

-34.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 MX$175

$13.97 MX$236

-25.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.44

$3.49 MX$58.9

-46.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.11

$1.64 MX$27.66

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 MX$36.65

$2.28 MX$38.43

-4.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MX$26.87

$2.60 MX$43.87

-38.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.34

$2.53 MX$42.76

-15.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 MX$32.90

$2.85 MX$48.05

-31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MX$25.71

$1.56 MX$26.31

-2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.31

$1.29 MX$21.75

-29.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 MX$81.4

$5.21 MX$87.9

-7.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 MX$189

$14.84 MX$251

-24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 MX$29.94

$2.01 MX$33.98

-11.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$60.4

$3.13 MX$52.9

14.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$9.81

$0.90 MX$15.13

-35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.74 MX$300

$33.72 MX$569

-47.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MX$39.18

$1.85 MX$31.29

25.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 MX$20.35

$1.19 MX$20.15

1.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 MX$220

$11.82 MX$200

10.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.03

$1.67 MX$28.27

-7.78%

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

$22.9K MX$386.0K

$22.6K MX$381.2K

1.27%

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

$25.5K MX$429.9K

$27.1K MX$457.8K

-6.08%

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

$24.78 MX$418

$128 MX$2,162

-80.65%

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

$8.58 MX$145

$28.03 MX$473

-69.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.05 MX$457

$28.47 MX$481

-4.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.79 MX$452

$32.66 MX$551

-17.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.06 MX$153

$23.24 MX$392

-61.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MX$78.3

$5.58 MX$94.2

-16.85%

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

$268 MX$4,522

$734 MX$12.4K

-63.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,528 MX$59.6K

$12.1K MX$204.6K

-70.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.46 MX$835

$79.5 MX$1,342

-37.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.48 MX$768

$46.39 MX$783

-1.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 MX$1,640

$120 MX$2,025

-19.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.62 MX$787

$133 MX$2,253

-65.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 MX$4,457

$1,052 MX$17.8K

-74.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 MX$3,031

$739 MX$12.5K

-75.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 MX$6,829

$2,020 MX$34.1K

-79.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 MX$4,382

$1,358 MX$22.9K

-80.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,486 MX$75.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$613 MX$10.3K

$2,663 MX$45.0K

-76.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$440 MX$7,436

$1,153 MX$19.5K

-61.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.8

11.56

-6.57%

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

Last update for Zacatecas: August 30, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $264 in Zacatecas and $1,052 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 162% 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: $34.00 in Zacatecas vs $54.0 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $333 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

Zacatecas vs Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zacatecas and Monterrey differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($792 vs $1,715 including rent). Zacatecas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 162% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $264 in Zacatecas versus $1,052 in Monterrey. 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 $34.00 versus $54.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $792 per month in Zacatecas versus $1,715 in Monterrey – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $792 in Zacatecas versus $1,715 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, Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.