Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Parral

For one person, living is cheaper in Parral: $1,170 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
Parral
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,170
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,170 in Parral.

  • Austin, TX $2,704
  • Parral $1,170

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,858 in Parral.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Parral $1,858

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $2,545 in Parral.

  • Austin, TX $5,562
  • Parral $2,545

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 131% more expensive than in Parral, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Parral is 13% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Parral
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 $20.22
$11.08 MX$203
82.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.0 $85.0
$44.85 MX$823
89.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.35 $12.35
$8.70 MX$160
41.95%
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
$3.54 MX$65.1
54.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$1.35 MX$24.84
182.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.09 MX$19.98
129.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 $8.06
$2.58 MX$47.31
212.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.99 $8.99
$4.07 MX$74.8
120.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Parral
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$1.67 MX$30.72
-32.34%
White Bread (500g)
$3.78 $3.78
$2.70 MX$49.48
40.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$1.72 MX$31.64
88.95%
Eggs
$4.14 $4.14
$2.53 MX$46.48
63.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$8.36 MX$154
56.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.31 $14.31
$8.50 MX$156
68.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.96 $15.96
$11.88 MX$218
34.34%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$2.85 MX$52.3
53.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.60 MX$29.45
-9.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$1.97 MX$36.12
130.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$1.77 MX$32.55
136.72%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 $2.63
$2.03 MX$37.24
29.56%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 $2.36
$1.92 MX$35.17
22.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.41 MX$25.87
24.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.13 MX$20.82
91.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.81 $9.81
$4.49 MX$82.5
118.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.72 $14.72
$10.51 MX$193
40.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 $2.78
$1.76 MX$32.34
57.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 $3.48
$3.28 MX$60.3
6.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Parral
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
$0.65 MX$11.85
129.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.51 $40.51
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
$2.68 MX$49.26
-0.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.98 MX$36.42
-20.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.29 $35.29
$11.30 MX$207
212.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.47 MX$27.07
-32.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$21.7K MX$398.1K
65.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$24.9K MX$456.8K
9.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Parral
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$62.1 MX$1,141
252.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.0 $58.0
$22.98 MX$422
152.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.4 $68.4
$30.29 MX$556
125.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Parral
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.9 $57.9
$35.38 MX$650
63.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.82 $14.82
$20.60 MX$378
-28.06%
Cinema Ticket
$14.13 $14.13
$5.17 MX$94.9
173.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Parral
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,509 $1,509
$225 MX$4,134
570.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$4,604 MX$84.5K
366.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Parral
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 $51.7
$56.3 MX$1,033
-8.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.05 $44.05
$42.00 MX$771
4.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 $85.1
$104 MX$1,901
-17.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$90.7 MX$1,666
16.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Parral
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,932 $1,932
$608 MX$11.2K
217.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 $1,272
$387 MX$7,100
229.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,670 $3,670
$1,076 MX$19.8K
241.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,525 $2,525
$794 MX$14.6K
218.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,617 $7,617
$1,914 MX$35.1K
297.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,199 $3,199
$1,152 MX$21.2K
177.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Parral
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,105 $5,105
-
-
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 5, 2026

Last update for Parral: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Parral
$387 69.6% $886
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$403
Parral
$270 33% $133
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
Parral
$188 46% $160
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$346
Parral
$115 66.6% $230
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Parral
$132 2.2% $2.9
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Parral
$46 46.9% $40
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
Parral
$15 * 73.4% $42

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 $1,932 in Austin, TX and $608 in Parral. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $45.00 in Parral for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $270 per month, with Parral cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇲🇽 Parral
🕒 Local time
07:38 7:38 AM
06:38 6:38 AM
1 h behind Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
113,843
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Parral 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Parral

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 Parral: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Parral?
Parral wins on cost – living expenses run 131% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Parral the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Parral?
You'd need roughly $4,055 in Austin, TX and $1,755 in Parral to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Austin, TX compared to Parral?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $608 in Parral. 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 Parral?
Childcare runs $1,509 in Austin, TX versus $225 in Parral. 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 Parral?
Dining out is cheaper in Parral – a meal for two runs $45.00 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 Parral?
At $1,170 in Parral versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Parral but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Parral the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Parral?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Parral gentler on the wallet – expenses run 131% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Austin, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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