Popular cities
Antigua Guatemala vs Monterrey cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฌ๐น Antigua Guatemala
๐ฒ๐ฝ Monterrey
At a glance
- Where Monterrey is clearly cheaper: Taxi (18%โ), Transit (18%โ), Scooter rental (18%โ)
- Where Antigua Guatemala is clearly cheaper: SIM card (51%โ), Half-day tour (38%โ), Street food (30%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Monterrey is easier to travel (2.4 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Antigua Guatemala 3 vs Monterrey 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Antigua Guatemala | Monterrey | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Q 50$6.55 | MX$ 150$8.06 | Antigua Guatemala โ19% |
| Street food1 item | Q 20$2.62 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Antigua Guatemala โ30% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Q 150$19.6 | MX$ 400$21.5 | Antigua Guatemala โ9% |
| Coffeeone cup | Q 25$3.27 | MX$ 80$4.3 | Antigua Guatemala โ24% |
| Beerone bottle | Q 25$3.27 | MX$ 60$3.23 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Q 50$6.55 | MX$ 150$8.06 | Antigua Guatemala โ19% |
| Bottled water | Q 6$0.79 | MX$ 14$0.75 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Q 8$1.05 | MX$ 22$1.18 | Antigua Guatemala โ11% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Q 45$5.89 | MX$ 90$4.84 | Monterrey โ18% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Q 20$2.62 | MX$ 60$3.23 | Antigua Guatemala โ19% |
| Transitone ride | Q 5$0.65 | MX$ 10$0.54 | Monterrey โ18% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Q 150$19.6 | MX$ 300$16.1 | Monterrey โ18% |
| Hotel night3-star | Q 600$78.6 | MX$ 1,200$64.5 | Monterrey โ18% |
| Studio rent (month) | Q 5,500$720 | MX$ 14,000$753 | similar |
| Laundry | Q 12$1.57 | MX$ 35$1.88 | Antigua Guatemala โ17% |
| SIM card1 week data | Q 60$7.86 | MX$ 300$16.1 | Antigua Guatemala โ51% |
| Haircutcut | Q 60$7.86 | MX$ 180$9.68 | Antigua Guatemala โ19% |
| Massage1 hour | Q 300$39.3 | MX$ 600$32.3 | Monterrey โ18% |
| Half-day tourper person | Q 230$30.1 | MX$ 900$48.4 | Antigua Guatemala โ38% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Q 40$5.24 | MX$ 120$6.45 | Antigua Guatemala โ19% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Antigua Guatemala or Monterrey?
Antigua Guatemala and Monterrey cost about the same. Daily budget $142 vs $133; a month $2,871 vs $2,810.
Which is easier to travel, Antigua Guatemala or Monterrey?
Monterrey is easier: Monterrey 2.4/5 vs Antigua Guatemala 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Antigua Guatemala and Monterrey?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Antigua Guatemala is about $2,871 and Monterrey about $2,810 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.