Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,706 in Austin, TX versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,169 in Austin, TX versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,633 in Austin, TX versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 86% more expensive than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 103% above, Mexico City 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$13.07 MX$227

50.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$53.8 MX$936

41.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

$9.68 MX$168

1.86%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.74 MX$65.1

46.52%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$1.62 MX$28.12

63.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.16 MX$20.22

80.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$3.23 MX$56.2

88.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 $8.15

$4.74 MX$82.5

71.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.65 MX$28.67

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.75 MX$47.92

23.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.87 MX$32.62

80.75%

Eggs

$4.39 $4.39

$2.50 MX$43.51

75.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.10 $12.10

$10.20 MX$178

18.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$8.25 MX$144

31.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 $14.68

$11.82 MX$206

24.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.01 MX$52.4

64.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.81 MX$31.53

-16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.00 MX$34.79

120.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.00 MX$34.72

105.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.08 MX$36.28

35.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.27 MX$39.54

26.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.46 MX$25.35

33.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.08 MX$18.73

101.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.99 $8.99

$4.35 MX$75.7

106.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$16.99 MX$296

-11.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.73 MX$30.17

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.58 MX$62.3

-4.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.39 MX$6.74

294.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.15 $44.15

$18.69 MX$325

136.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.33 MX$23.07

231.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.28 MX$4.87

553.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.65 $34.65

$5.25 MX$91.4

560.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.34 MX$23.26

-41.79%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$19.4K MX$337.8K

33.69%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$23.8K MX$414.8K

8.57%

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

$175 $175

$40.69 MX$708

329.17%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$26.87 MX$468

122.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 $65.5

$30.51 MX$531

114.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 $61.3

$52.8 MX$919

16.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.89 $9.89

$26.65 MX$464

-62.89%

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$6.51 MX$113

126.73%

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

$1,372 $1,372

$428 MX$7,450

220.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K $22.2K

$10.5K MX$182.7K

111.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$57.3 MX$996

-1.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 $45.29

$45.50 MX$792

-0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 $85.0

$104 MX$1,811

-18.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$108 MX$1,877

9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 $2,201

$1,003 MX$17.5K

119.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 $1,403

$623 MX$10.8K

125.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,815 $3,815

$2,109 MX$36.7K

80.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 $2,680

$1,218 MX$21.2K

120.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,133 $7,133

$3,885 MX$67.6K

83.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,078 $3,078

$2,033 MX$35.4K

51.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,110 $5,110

$1,038 MX$18.1K

392.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

11.34

-43.12%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,201 in Austin, TX and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 392% 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: $76.0 in Austin, TX vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $292 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 86% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 392% 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: $2,201 in Austin, TX versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,706 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 136% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $2,706 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mexico City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,456 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mexico City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.