Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Atotonilco el Alto

For one person, living is cheaper in Atotonilco el Alto: $1,253 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Atotonilco el Alto
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,253
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Atotonilco el Alto

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Atotonilco el Alto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,253 in Atotonilco el Alto.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Atotonilco el Alto $1,253

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,011 in Atotonilco el Alto.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Atotonilco el Alto $2,011

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,770 in Atotonilco el Alto.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Atotonilco el Alto $2,770

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 113% more expensive than in Atotonilco el Alto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Atotonilco el Alto is 7% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$11.18 MX$207
85.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$63.0 MX$1,164
34.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$9.61 MX$178
28.20%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$3.67 MX$67.9
53.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$1.62 MX$29.99
129.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.04 MX$19.18
140.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$3.22 MX$59.5
150.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$5.42 MX$100
66.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.93 MX$35.71
-41.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.79 MX$51.6
34.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.00 MX$37.00
63.00%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$2.64 MX$48.75
57.95%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$8.82 MX$163
46.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$8.89 MX$164
59.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$13.93 MX$257
16.44%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$3.37 MX$62.3
28.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.59 MX$29.31
-8.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$2.16 MX$39.90
108.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$1.95 MX$36.07
122.56%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$1.77 MX$32.76
45.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.76 MX$32.44
33.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.48 MX$27.36
20.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.19 MX$21.94
86.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$4.69 MX$86.7
110.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$17.90 MX$331
-15.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.18 MX$40.27
33.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$4.00 MX$73.8
-13.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.64 MX$11.75
132.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.72 $41.72
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$3.39 MX$62.6
-19.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$2.67 MX$49.41
-37.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$11.15 MX$206
216.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.58 MX$29.15
-39.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$21.6K MX$398.3K
67.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$24.0K MX$443.1K
12.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$57.6 MX$1,065
297.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$26.59 MX$491
123.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$24.26 MX$448
188.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$31.31 MX$579
82.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$21.29 MX$393
-23.30%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$7.32 MX$135
95.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$270 MX$4,997
456.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$4,971 MX$91.9K
331.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$53.6 MX$990
-1.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$44.97 MX$831
-2.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$100.0 MX$1,848
-15.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$98.8 MX$1,826
4.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$565 MX$10.4K
237.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$438 MX$8,100
190.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$923 MX$17.1K
296.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$775 MX$14.3K
227.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$1,790 MX$33.1K
325.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$1,018 MX$18.8K
210.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
11.99
-43.37%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Atotonilco el Alto: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Atotonilco el Alto
$438 65.6% $836
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Atotonilco el Alto
$307 24.1% $98
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Atotonilco el Alto
$108 69.7% $250
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Atotonilco el Alto
$200 43.5% $154
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Atotonilco el Alto
$134 4.6% $5.8
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Atotonilco el Alto
$46 46.4% $40
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Atotonilco el Alto
$19 * 67.1% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $565 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $63.0 in Atotonilco el Alto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $307 per month, with Atotonilco el Alto cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇲🇽 Atotonilco el Alto
🕒 Local time
22:03 10:03 PM
21:03 9:03 PM
1 h behind Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
26,874
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Atotonilco el Alto 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Atotonilco el Alto

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Austin, TX vs Atotonilco el Alto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Atotonilco el Alto cheaper than Austin, TX?
Atotonilco el Alto is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $1,879 in Atotonilco el Alto 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.
What is the rent difference between Austin, TX and Atotonilco el Alto?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $565 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $270 in Atotonilco el Alto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Austin, TX or in Atotonilco el Alto?
Dining out is cheaper in Atotonilco el Alto – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Austin, TX or in Atotonilco el Alto?
At $1,253 in Atotonilco el Alto versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Atotonilco el Alto but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Atotonilco el Alto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Austin, TX or in Atotonilco el Alto?
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.
Which city is safer, Austin, TX or Atotonilco el Alto?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Atotonilco el Alto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Atotonilco el Alto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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