Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Colima

For one person, living is cheaper in Colima: $952 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Colima
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Colima Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Colima

🇲🇽 Mexico

$952

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Colima

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $952 in Colima.

Austin, TX $2,663
Colima $952

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,562 in Colima.

Austin, TX $4,133
Colima $1,562

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,173 in Colima.

Austin, TX $5,603
Colima $2,173

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 180% more expensive than in Colima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Colima is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

$7.58 MX$140

174.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$33.52 MX$619

152.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$7.16 MX$132

72.07%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.24 MX$41.33

151.34%

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

$3.72 $3.72

$1.00 MX$18.48

272.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.84 MX$15.45

197.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.23 MX$41.16

260.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

$2.45 MX$45.24

267.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.55 MX$28.57

-27.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.64 MX$48.76

42.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.21 MX$22.40

169.42%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.76 MX$51.0

51.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$8.01 MX$148

61.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

$8.35 MX$154

69.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$9.86 MX$182

64.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.85 MX$52.7

51.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.44 MX$26.63

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.78 MX$32.82

153.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.26 MX$41.70

92.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.30 MX$42.50

12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.30 MX$42.58

2.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.43 MX$26.36

24.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.09 MX$20.09

103.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.61 MX$66.8

173.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$6.76 MX$125

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.56 MX$28.83

87.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.77 MX$32.64

95.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.63 MX$11.73

136.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

$19.51 MX$361

113.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.40 MX$44.35

13.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.82 MX$52.1

-41.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

$9.41 MX$174

275.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.43 MX$26.45

-33.57%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$20.9K MX$386.3K

72.45%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$22.7K MX$419.1K

19.37%

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

$229 $229

$64.9 MX$1,198

253.05%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$20.24 MX$374

193.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$29.71 MX$549

135.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$35.28 MX$652

62.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

$21.72 MX$401

-24.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$4.63 MX$85.6

208.42%

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

$1,506 $1,506

$147 MX$2,712

926.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$2,496 MX$46.1K

759.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$45.09 MX$833

17.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$25.11 MX$464

74.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$74.1 MX$1,369

14.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$102 MX$1,884

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

$262 MX$4,849

626.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$261 MX$4,831

387.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$369 MX$6,826

892.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$589 MX$10.9K

331.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

$287 MX$5,301

1685.18%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Colima: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Colima

$261 27.5% 79.5% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Colima

$250 26.2% 38.3% $155

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Colima

$115 12.1% 68% $243

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Colima

$132 13.9% 62.6% $222

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Colima

$111 11.6% 13.4% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Colima

$45 4.7% 48.1% $41

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Colima

$39 4.1% 34.3% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,907 in Austin, TX and $262 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1685% 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 $34.00 in Colima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $250 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇽 Colima

🕒 Local time

23:08 11:08 PM

22:08 10:08 PM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

146,965

💱 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 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).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Colima 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Colima

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 Colima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colima wins on cost – living expenses run 180% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colima the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1685% 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: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $262 in Colima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $952 in Colima – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Colima runs roughly 114% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $952 in Colima versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Colima 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 Colima 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 Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.