Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Zacatecas Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Zacatecas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $995 per month in Balti vs $969 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,243 per month in Balti vs $1,540 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Balti vs $2,110 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Balti costs about 3% more than Zacatecas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Balti and Zacatecas are more affordable than the global median – Balti 26% lower, Zacatecas 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.35 MDL 144

$6.05 MX$104

38.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.34 MDL 628

$31.54 MX$541

15.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 MDL 129

$7.22 MX$124

3.60%

Cappuccino

$1.64 MDL 28.27

$2.94 MX$50.5

-44.22%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.77

$1.22 MX$20.86

-25.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 MDL 11.96

$0.70 MX$12.03

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 MDL 31.05

$1.80 MX$30.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 MDL 38.16

$3.87 MX$66.5

-42.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.50

$1.33 MX$22.86

-6.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 MDL 6.75

$2.13 MX$36.53

-81.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.96

$1.50 MX$25.73

Eggs

$1.56 MDL 27.02

$2.21 MX$37.99

-29.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 MDL 157

$6.99 MX$120

30.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 MDL 80.1

$5.93 MX$102

-21.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.74 MDL 151

$9.03 MX$155

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.42

$1.74 MX$29.87

-48.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 MDL 31.57

$1.51 MX$25.97

21.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 MDL 25.37

$1.85 MX$31.81

-20.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 MDL 36.85

$1.42 MX$24.42

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MDL 12.05

$1.75 MX$29.99

-60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.29

$1.96 MX$33.64

-69.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MDL 22.34

$1.38 MX$23.63

-6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.58

$0.80 MX$13.81

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 MDL 55.9

$4.12 MX$70.7

-21.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 MDL 81.4

$10.99 MX$189

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.13

$1.58 MX$27.07

-22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MDL 33.22

$3.11 MX$53.4

-38.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.77

$0.48 MX$8.16

-31.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.18 MX$278

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 MDL 34.97

$2.07 MX$35.55

-2.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.69

$1.00 MX$17.24

-73.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 MDL 91.3

$11.48 MX$197

-53.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MDL 23.47

$1.30 MX$22.37

4.62%

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

$31.9K MDL 550.9K

$23.5K MX$404.1K

35.47%

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

$30.6K MDL 528.8K

$24.4K MX$419.1K

25.40%

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

$170 MDL 2,931

$22.22 MX$381

663.77%

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

$4.59 MDL 79.2

$8.13 MX$140

-43.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.74 MDL 185

$24.61 MX$422

-56.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.88 MDL 706

$24.03 MX$412

70.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.12 MX$139

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MDL 80.1

$4.28 MX$73.4

8.41%

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

$118 MDL 2,039

$188 MX$3,233

-37.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,548 MDL 95.8K

$3,193 MX$54.8K

73.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MDL 1,129

$43.90 MX$753

48.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 MDL 924

$42.79 MX$734

25.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MDL 1,914

$88.4 MX$1,517

25.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,093

$41.72 MX$716

190.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 MDL 6,987

$239 MX$4,100

69.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 MDL 4,978

$391 MX$6,713

-26.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 MX$6,287

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 MX$13.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,442 MDL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$989 MDL 17.1K

$601 MX$10.3K

64.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$435 MDL 7,517

$915 MX$15.7K

-52.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

11.48

-19.51%

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

Last update for Balti: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $405 in Balti versus $239 in Zacatecas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 110% higher in Zacatecas, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Balti versus $32.00 in Zacatecas. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Balti vs $220 in Zacatecas – so Balti wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Balti vs Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $995 in Balti, $969 in Zacatecas – roughly 3% apart. Balti costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,492 per month in Balti and $1,454 in Zacatecas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacatecas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Balti and $32.00 in Zacatecas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Balti – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacatecas, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Balti at $995. In Zacatecas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Balti it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zacatecas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Zacatecas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Balti makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.