Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Ciudad Obregon

For one person, living is cheaper in Ciudad Obregon: $1,183 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Ciudad Obregon
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Ciudad Obregon Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Ciudad Obregon

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,183

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Ciudad Obregon

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 Ciudad Obregon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,183 in Ciudad Obregon.

Austin, TX $2,698
Ciudad Obregon $1,183

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $1,868 in Ciudad Obregon.

Austin, TX $4,160
Ciudad Obregon $1,868

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $2,553 in Ciudad Obregon.

Austin, TX $5,622
Ciudad Obregon $2,553

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 128% more expensive than in Ciudad Obregon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 99% above, Ciudad Obregon is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$10.31 MX$191

100.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$48.41 MX$895

74.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$8.32 MX$154

45.07%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.94 MX$72.7

39.09%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$1.24 MX$22.87

206.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.13 MX$20.93

118.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.56 MX$47.31

214.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$4.33 MX$80.1

105.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.57 MX$29.02

-29.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.57 MX$47.49

44.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.73 MX$32.05

94.80%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.39 MX$44.10

80.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$8.27 MX$153

58.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$8.07 MX$149

75.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$11.24 MX$208

45.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.65 MX$48.92

71.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.49 MX$27.48

-2.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.85 MX$34.15

154.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.78 MX$32.82

133.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.01 MX$37.20

28.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.74 MX$32.07

35.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.47 MX$27.18

20.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.11 MX$20.57

92.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$4.25 MX$78.6

137.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$11.44 MX$211

32.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.70 MX$31.39

65.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.09 MX$57.1

11.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.68 MX$12.48

126.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.53 MX$46.69

10.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.67 MX$30.81

-4.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$9.65 MX$178

255.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.35 MX$25.00

-30.37%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$25.9K MX$478.2K

31.32%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.4K MX$469.7K

5.29%

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

$223 $223

$65.9 MX$1,218

237.91%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$19.30 MX$357

205.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$28.95 MX$535

143.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$33.67 MX$622

71.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$20.00 MX$370

-17.35%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$5.07 MX$93.7

181.26%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$215 MX$3,980

601.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$4,644 MX$85.8K

349.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$53.4 MX$987

-3.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$40.86 MX$755

8.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$101 MX$1,862

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$89.8 MX$1,659

16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$684 MX$12.6K

183.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$436 MX$8,053

202.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$1,160 MX$21.4K

215.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$786 MX$14.5K

226.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$1,931 MX$35.7K

280.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,120 MX$20.7K

179.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$1,189 MX$22.0K

344.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

11.3

-39.91%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ciudad Obregon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Ciudad Obregon

$436 36.9% 66.9% $880

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Ciudad Obregon

$261 22.1% 35.6% $144

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Ciudad Obregon

$114 9.7% 67.6% $238

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Ciudad Obregon

$186 15.7% 47% $164

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Ciudad Obregon

$128 10.8% 0.7% $0.9

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Ciudad Obregon

$44 3.7% 49.2% $42

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Ciudad Obregon

$14 * 1.2% 76.6% $44

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 $1,940 in Austin, TX and $684 in Ciudad Obregon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 345% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $48.00 in Ciudad Obregon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $261 per month, with Ciudad Obregon cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇽 Ciudad Obregon

🕒 Local time

10:08 10:08 AM

08:08 8:08 AM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

329,404

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Ciudad Obregon 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Ciudad Obregon

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 Ciudad Obregon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ciudad Obregon wins on cost – living expenses run 128% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ciudad Obregon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 345% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,940 in Austin, TX versus $684 in Ciudad Obregon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,511 in Austin, TX versus $215 in Ciudad Obregon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ciudad Obregon – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,183 in Ciudad Obregon versus $2,698 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ciudad Obregon but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Ciudad Obregon 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, Austin, TX and Ciudad Obregon 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 Ciudad Obregon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 128% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.