Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Miguel Hidalgo

For one person, living is cheaper in Miguel Hidalgo: $1,149 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,663
/mo nomad
Miguel Hidalgo
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,149
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Miguel Hidalgo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $1,149 in Miguel Hidalgo.

  • Austin, TX $2,663
  • Miguel Hidalgo $1,149

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,960 in Miguel Hidalgo.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Miguel Hidalgo $1,960

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $2,771 in Miguel Hidalgo.

  • Austin, TX $5,603
  • Miguel Hidalgo $2,771

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 132% more expensive than in Miguel Hidalgo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Miguel Hidalgo is 15% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Miguel Hidalgo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.77 $20.77
$10.97 MX$203
89.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.6 $84.6
$86.1 MX$1,590
-1.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.32 $12.32
$8.69 MX$161
41.77%
Cappuccino
$5.63 $5.63
$3.58 MX$66.1
57.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 $3.72
$1.33 MX$24.51
179.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.06 MX$19.54
135.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.05 $8.05
$2.39 MX$44.15
236.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.01 $9.01
$6.15 MX$114
46.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Miguel Hidalgo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.67 MX$30.83
-32.93%
White Bread (500g)
$3.75 $3.75
$2.58 MX$47.72
45.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.26 $3.26
$1.71 MX$31.51
90.64%
Eggs
$4.17 $4.17
$2.41 MX$44.61
73.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.90 $12.90
$8.30 MX$153
55.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.16 $14.16
$9.23 MX$171
53.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.22 $16.22
$11.37 MX$210
42.66%
Apples (1kg)
$4.33 $4.33
$2.81 MX$51.9
54.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 $1.46
$1.51 MX$27.94
-3.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.88 MX$34.83
139.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$1.84 MX$34.00
135.87%
Potato (1kg)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.03 MX$37.55
27.09%
Onion (1kg)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.89 MX$34.99
24.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 $1.78
$1.42 MX$26.33
25.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.14 MX$21.12
94.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88 $9.88
$4.28 MX$79.2
130.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.08 $15.08
$10.69 MX$198
41.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92 $2.92
$1.80 MX$33.23
62.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 $3.46
$3.20 MX$59.0
8.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Miguel Hidalgo
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
$2.73 MX$50.4
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$2.01 MX$37.22
-17.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.30 $35.30
$11.79 MX$218
199.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.50 MX$27.66
-36.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K $36.0K
$20.8K MX$384.6K
73.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$24.4K MX$450.7K
11.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Miguel Hidalgo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 $229
$30.58 MX$565
648.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.4 $59.4
$22.81 MX$421
160.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$31.86 MX$589
119.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Miguel Hidalgo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 $57.2
$46.90 MX$867
22.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$20.10 MX$371
-18.76%
Cinema Ticket
$14.28 $14.28
$5.13 MX$94.8
178.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Miguel Hidalgo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,506 $1,506
$215 MX$3,975
600.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$4,122 MX$76.2K
420.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Miguel Hidalgo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$73.8 MX$1,363
-28.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.82 $43.82
$41.32 MX$763
6.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.8 $84.8
$94.8 MX$1,752
-10.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$89.5 MX$1,653
15.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Miguel Hidalgo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,907 $1,907
$603 MX$11.1K
216.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 $1,274
$396 MX$7,309
222.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,664 $3,664
$1,034 MX$19.1K
254.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,538 $2,538
$763 MX$14.1K
232.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,614 $7,614
$1,950 MX$36.0K
290.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,157 $3,157
$1,157 MX$21.4K
172.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Miguel Hidalgo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,121 $5,121
$541 MX$9,994
846.87%
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 Miguel Hidalgo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Miguel Hidalgo
$396 69% $879
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$405
Miguel Hidalgo
$270 33.3% $135
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$358
Miguel Hidalgo
$85 76.2% $273
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$354
Miguel Hidalgo
$191 46.2% $163
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$128
Miguel Hidalgo
$135 5.3% $6.7
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Miguel Hidalgo
$57 33.4% $29
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$59
Miguel Hidalgo
$15 * 73.9% $43

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 $603 in Miguel Hidalgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 847% 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 $86.0 in Miguel Hidalgo. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $270, with Miguel Hidalgo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇲🇽 Miguel Hidalgo
🕒 Local time
06:02 6:02 AM
05:02 5:02 AM
1 h behind Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
414,470
💱 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 Miguel Hidalgo 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Miguel Hidalgo

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 Miguel Hidalgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Miguel Hidalgo?
Miguel Hidalgo wins on cost – living expenses run 132% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Miguel Hidalgo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Austin, TX or in Miguel Hidalgo?
Average pay runs 847% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Miguel Hidalgo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,907 in Austin, TX versus $603 in Miguel Hidalgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Miguel Hidalgo?
Childcare runs $1,506 in Austin, TX versus $215 in Miguel Hidalgo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Miguel Hidalgo?
Dining out is cheaper in Miguel Hidalgo – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Austin, TX or in Miguel Hidalgo?
At $1,149 in Miguel Hidalgo versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Miguel Hidalgo but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Miguel Hidalgo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Austin, TX or Miguel Hidalgo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Miguel Hidalgo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,149 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Miguel Hidalgo hard to pass up.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Miguel Hidalgo?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Miguel Hidalgo 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Miguel Hidalgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% 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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