Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,548 a month against $2,698 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 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
75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,698

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Mexico City

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,698 in Austin, TX versus $1,548 in Mexico City.

Austin, TX $2,698
Mexico City $1,548

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,160 in Austin, TX versus $2,436 in Mexico City.

Austin, TX $4,160
Mexico City $2,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,622 in Austin, TX versus $3,323 in Mexico City.

Austin, TX $5,622
Mexico City $3,323

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 74% more expensive than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 99% above, Mexico City 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$11.02 MX$204

87.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$48.68 MX$900

73.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$10.90 MX$201

10.73%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$3.68 MX$68.1

48.91%

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

$3.80 $3.80

$1.63 MX$30.18

133.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.25 MX$23.07

97.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.25 MX$60.1

147.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.88 $8.88

$5.53 MX$102

60.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.70 MX$31.50

-34.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.02 MX$55.8

23.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.92 MX$35.53

75.52%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.73 MX$50.5

58.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.13 $13.13

$11.77 MX$218

11.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$9.53 MX$176

48.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.33 $16.33

$14.41 MX$266

13.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.02 MX$55.8

50.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.89 MX$35.01

-22.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.99 MX$36.70

136.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.19 MX$40.38

89.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.92 MX$35.43

34.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.87 MX$34.49

25.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.44 MX$26.62

22.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.27 MX$23.39

68.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$5.22 MX$96.4

93.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$16.17 MX$299

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.90 MX$35.03

48.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.22 MX$78.0

-18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.34 MX$6.30

352.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.99 $40.99

$19.65 MX$363

108.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.00 MX$36.90

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.52 MX$9.67

207.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$5.34 MX$98.7

543.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.52 MX$28.13

-38.16%

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

$34.0K $34.0K

$22.1K MX$408.0K

53.92%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.5K MX$452.9K

9.20%

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

$223 $223

$61.1 MX$1,129

264.58%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$28.58 MX$528

106.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$34.47 MX$637

104.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.7 $57.7

$56.4 MX$1,042

2.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 $16.53

$24.88 MX$460

-33.56%

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$6.66 MX$123

114.11%

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

$1,511 $1,511

$427 MX$7,891

253.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$11.6K MX$215.0K

79.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$67.8 MX$1,253

-24.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$52.0 MX$960

-14.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$106 MX$1,959

-17.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$113 MX$2,080

-7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,940 $1,940

$1,025 MX$18.9K

89.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 $1,316

$654 MX$12.1K

101.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

$2,308 MX$42.7K

58.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,565 $2,565

$1,242 MX$22.9K

106.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,354 $7,354

$3,613 MX$66.8K

103.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,129 $3,129

$1,936 MX$35.8K

61.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,286 $5,286

$964 MX$17.8K

448.35%

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 Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.8%

Mexico City

$654 42.3% 50.3% $662

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$406 15.1%

Mexico City

$318 20.6% 21.6% $88

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$352 13.1%

Mexico City

$124 8% 64.8% $228

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$350 13%

Mexico City

$204 13.2% 41.8% $146

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.8%

Mexico City

$152 9.8% 18% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 19.2% $17

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$58 2.2%

Mexico City

$26 1.7% 55.7% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,940 in Austin, TX and $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 448% 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 $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $318 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

11:23 11:23 AM

10:23 10:23 AM

1 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

9,209,944 Capital

💱 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 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 Mexico City 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Mexico City

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 74% 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 448% 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 $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,698 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,548 in Mexico City – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 109% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,548 in Mexico City versus $2,698 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 $1,548 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 74% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.