Mexico : Cost of Living by City
Cost of Living in Mexico
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Queretaro?
Queretaro is one of the nicer cities in Mexico: it has a city center that is well taken care of, the city is very clean and offers a lot of places to visit.
However it’s more expensive than many other cities in Mexico, and the traffic is slowly getting worse since there are so many families that are moving here.
Queretaro has plenty of shopping malls, schools, residential areas, and fun places to go to, and apart from all of that, it is a much safer than other cities in Mexico.
Cost of Living Breakdown in Queretaro
RESTAURANTS
Depending on where you go, the prices of restaurants are very reasonable and affordable. Here, you can spend too much money on food, and eat for under a dollar. The street food is delicious and of good quality, so have no fear. A dinner at a mid-range restaurant for two can cost anywhere from 26$ and up.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $4.06 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $1.57 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.51 |
MARKETS
When it comes to buying food at supermarkets, it is definitely cheaper than eating out regularly. You can always get a membership card at Walmart, which costs around 25$ each year. The plus side also is that you know exactly what you’re eating. All basic ingredients cost less than 2$, and you can find fresh fruit and veggies on open markets.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $0.87 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.53 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.37 |
TRANSPORTATION
The traffic is slowly getting more and more congested with the influx of families coming to live in Queretaro. Monthly pass for public transport amounts to around 27$ which is actually much more expensive than in most other Mexican cities and a one-way ticket costs less than a dollar. If you want to drive a car, it will definitely cost you more – around 130$ per month.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $0.44 |
| Monthly Pass | $27.31 |
| Gasoline | $0.94 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities are generally cheap in Queretaro, though they can get much lower like in many other cities. Of course, depending on the size of your apartment and the amount of electricity you spend, your bills could be higher or lower, but all in all – for an apartment of around 85m2, all basic utilities including electricity, gas, water, heating, cooling and garbage services, will cost you around 27$.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $27.99 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.07 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $22.90 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
Fitness and practicing sports is expensive everywhere and this applies to every city and country, and not surprisingly – it applies to Queretaro, too. For example, a membership in a gym or a fitness club will cost you around 30$. Cinema tickets are much cheaper, however, costing only about 3.5$ each.
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $33.24 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $7.98 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $3.40 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
Queretaro is filled with shopping malls where you can go shopping and have a good time, and the prices are reasonable and within standards. You can find quality jeans like Levi’s for only 40$, while a pair of quality running shoes of brands like Nike cost around 70$. Light summer dresses and shirts cost around 25$.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $42.57 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $28.79 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $70.95 |
RENT PER MONTH
Rent isn’t really cheap in Queretaro, but it all depends on where you want to live and how big you want your apartment to be. You can also choose between a furnished and unfurnished ones. If you’ve got your mind set on the city center, the average price will be around 260$. An apartment outside of the city center will be closer to 170$.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $264.25 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $170.93 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $582.41 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Queretaro?
Food is definitely how the average person in Queretaro spends the biggest part of their salary.
An average person living in Queretaro and having to feed his/her family, spends the biggest amount of their money in supermarkets and open “mercados”.
The next thing that draws the biggest bulk of money from the people of Queretaro is definitely rent.
The fact that rent is second to food only means that though it isn’t the highest expense in this city it is definitely among the most expensive tolls on people’s salaries.
Restaurants and transportation are also significant expenses for an average person living in this city.
Average Costs Breakdown
Queretaro: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
Minimum wage in Queretaro is around 300$ which is probably the highest minimum wage in the nearby area, and that is definitely a success for Queretaro.
While the average monthly net salary is around 500$ which allows for residents of Queretaro to live without having to worry about their existence, there’s still a general feeling of dissatisfaction with the influx of money.
If you’re planning on going to Queretaro for a period of time, you can bring around 1000$ for a month and that should definitely suffice.
Queretaro City Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Queretaro City Safety Review
| OVERALL RISK | LOW |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK | LOW |
| PICKPOCKETS RISK | MEDIUM |
| NATURAL DISASTERS RISK | LOW |
| MUGGING RISK | MEDIUM |
| TERRORISM RISK | LOW |
| SCAMS RISK | MEDIUM |
| WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK | LOW |
| TAP WATER RISK | HIGH |
Cost of Living by City in Mexico
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Cancun |
31.35 |
| Guadalajara |
31.46 |
| Merida |
29.39 |
| Mexico City |
37.3 |
| Monterrey |
34.12 |
| Puebla |
28.89 |
| Puerto Vallarta |
29.82 |
| Tijuana |
37.3 |
It’s so refreshing to hear about Queretaro! It sounds like such a lovely place to explore, but I can’t help thinking about how those rising costs will impact everyday life there. It’s a bit of a bummer when a great city becomes pricier just as it’s getting all these new families and developments. Hope they can balance that charm with affordability!
It’s tough to hear that Queretaro is getting more expensive, especially when it seems like such a beautiful place to live. The rising costs can really weigh on families trying to settle in and find that balance between safety and affordability. It’s frustrating that as cities grow and attract more people, the charm can sometimes fade behind higher prices and traffic. Just hope that along with all the development, they keep the community spirit alive!
Seems like Queretaro is a hidden gem, but I guess those perks come with a price tag. It’s a bit of a trade-off, right? Clean streets and safety can definitely make up for a few extra bucks!
Seems great, but can the cost of living really justify all those benefits? Not sure it’s worth it if my budget takes a hit.