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: $938 in Zacatecas versus $1,601 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,518 in Zacatecas versus $2,585 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,098 in Zacatecas versus $3,568 in Monterrey.

Living in Zacatecas costs roughly 41% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zacatecas is 30% below, Monterrey is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.26 MX$108

$13.01 MX$225

-51.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 MX$542

$53.8 MX$930

-41.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 MX$123

$10.21 MX$177

-30.17%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MX$51.5

$3.68 MX$63.7

-19.02%

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

$1.22 MX$21.06

$1.46 MX$25.30

-16.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 MX$12.78

$1.00 MX$17.28

-26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 MX$32.64

$2.70 MX$46.62

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 MX$67.3

$4.27 MX$73.9

-8.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$1.67 MX$28.81

-19.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$37.22

$2.68 MX$46.35

-19.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.73

$1.93 MX$33.35

-19.69%

Eggs

$2.19 MX$37.93

$2.63 MX$45.49

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$124

$10.34 MX$179

-30.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.73 MX$99.1

$9.22 MX$159

-37.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.91 MX$154

$13.84 MX$239

-35.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.55

$3.15 MX$54.5

-45.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.23

$1.39 MX$24.01

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.12

$2.00 MX$34.59

-7.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.04

$2.14 MX$37.03

-35.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.18

$2.27 MX$39.19

-23.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.80

$2.54 MX$44.00

-23.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MX$22.93

$1.57 MX$27.09

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.32

$1.07 MX$18.49

-22.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.6

$4.25 MX$73.5

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 MX$193

$14.36 MX$248

-22.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.78 MX$30.81

-7.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MX$57.0

$3.14 MX$54.4

5.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.05

$0.80 MX$13.87

-35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 MX$279

$40.54 MX$701

-60.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$35.69

$1.68 MX$29.06

22.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MX$16.34

$0.94 MX$16.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 MX$199

$10.76 MX$186

6.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.39

$1.37 MX$23.68

-5.84%

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

$24.0K MX$415.7K

$26.7K MX$462.6K

-10.13%

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

$23.6K MX$409.0K

$25.6K MX$442.5K

-7.57%

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

$22.34 MX$386

$122 MX$2,104

-81.64%

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

$7.74 MX$134

$27.19 MX$470

-71.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.97 MX$432

$29.82 MX$516

-16.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.61 MX$408

$38.49 MX$666

-38.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.08 MX$140

$21.46 MX$371

-62.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 MX$71.1

$5.92 MX$102

-30.57%

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

$191 MX$3,304

$346 MX$5,979

-44.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,154 MX$54.6K

$8,997 MX$155.6K

-64.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.97 MX$761

$58.4 MX$1,010

-24.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 MX$727

$42.55 MX$736

-1.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 MX$1,503

$109 MX$1,892

-20.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.14 MX$729

$129 MX$2,231

-67.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 MX$4,151

$913 MX$15.8K

-73.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,796

$647 MX$11.2K

-39.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 MX$6,293

$1,565 MX$27.1K

-76.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 MX$13.3K

$1,401 MX$24.2K

-45.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 MX$75.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$603 MX$10.4K

$2,839 MX$49.1K

-78.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$910 MX$15.7K

$1,104 MX$19.1K

-17.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.55

-0.61%

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

Last update for Zacatecas: June 1, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Zacatecas and $913 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 21% 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: $31.00 in Zacatecas vs $54.0 in Monterrey for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $298 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 71% in total monthly costs ($938 vs $1,601 including rent). Zacatecas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Monterrey earns 21% 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: $240 in Zacatecas versus $913 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 $31.00 versus $54.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $938 per month in Zacatecas versus $1,601 in Monterrey – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $938 in Zacatecas versus $1,601 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 71% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.