Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Zacatecas Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Zacatecas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Brasilia versus $938 in Zacatecas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,518 in Zacatecas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $2,098 in Zacatecas.

Living in Brasilia costs roughly 8% less than in Zacatecas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Zacatecas 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.12

$6.26 MX$108

12.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$194

$31.34 MX$542

23.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.64

$7.13 MX$123

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.80

$2.98 MX$51.5

-34.23%

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

$1.18 R$5.89

$1.22 MX$21.06

-3.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.30

$0.74 MX$12.78

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.28

$1.89 MX$32.64

-2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$15.89

$3.89 MX$67.3

-18.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.98

$1.34 MX$23.22

-26.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$7.99

$2.15 MX$37.22

-25.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.06

$1.55 MX$26.73

-9.03%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.19

$2.19 MX$37.93

-6.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.31

$7.15 MX$124

32.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.01

$5.73 MX$99.1

-40.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.21

$8.91 MX$154

-20.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.82

$1.71 MX$29.55

14.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.02

$1.52 MX$26.23

-7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.02

$1.86 MX$32.12

-35.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.29

$1.39 MX$24.04

19.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.20

$1.74 MX$30.18

-28.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.53

$1.95 MX$33.80

-32.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.03

$1.33 MX$22.93

-39.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.15

$0.83 MX$14.32

-24.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.66

$4.20 MX$72.6

-49.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.16

$11.13 MX$193

-18.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.53

$1.64 MX$28.32

-32.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.95

$3.30 MX$57.0

-27.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.15

$0.52 MX$9.05

98.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$222

$16.12 MX$279

175.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.72

$2.06 MX$35.69

-54.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.94 MX$16.34

-13.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$27.88

$11.49 MX$199

-51.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.61

$1.29 MX$22.39

-13.18%

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

$25.0K R$125.2K

$24.0K MX$415.7K

4.06%

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

$29.1K R$145.7K

$23.6K MX$409.0K

23.11%

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

$72.2 R$361

$22.34 MX$386

223.32%

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

$13.08 R$65.5

$7.74 MX$134

68.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$102

$24.97 MX$432

-18.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$125

$23.61 MX$408

5.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$107

$8.08 MX$140

163.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.42

$4.11 MX$71.1

72.26%

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

$488 R$2,444

$191 MX$3,304

155.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.0K

$3,154 MX$54.6K

375.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$292

$43.97 MX$761

32.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$210

$42.04 MX$727

-0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$349

$86.9 MX$1,503

-19.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$327

$42.14 MX$729

54.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,040

$240 MX$4,151

69.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,302

$393 MX$6,796

-33.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,747

$364 MX$6,293

160.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,811

$770 MX$13.3K

-27.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,576

$603 MX$10.4K

184.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,235

$910 MX$15.7K

-6.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

11.48

3.40%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $240 in Zacatecas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zacatecas pays 7% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $31.00 in Zacatecas. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $220, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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

Brasilia vs Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Zacatecas differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $938 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Zacatecas earns 7% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $408 in Brasilia versus $240 in Zacatecas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $31.00 in Zacatecas. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Brasilia versus $938 in Zacatecas – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Brasilia gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Brasilia and Zacatecas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Zacatecas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.