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: $866 in Brasilia versus $944 in Zacatecas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,493 in Zacatecas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $2,042 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 35% lower, Zacatecas 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.45

$6.02 MX$106

21.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$205

$31.09 MX$545

28.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.57

$7.28 MX$128

-12.50%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.59

$2.96 MX$52.0

-36.49%

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

$1.18 R$6.03

$1.22 MX$21.40

-3.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.40

$0.70 MX$12.29

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.37

$1.81 MX$31.68

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.88

$3.79 MX$66.4

-12.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.10

$1.39 MX$24.39

-28.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.22

$2.14 MX$37.48

-24.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.23

$1.57 MX$27.45

-10.19%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.81

$2.20 MX$38.59

-3.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.58

$7.26 MX$127

30.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.82

$5.89 MX$103

-44.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.37

$9.10 MX$160

-23.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.34

$1.74 MX$30.57

16.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.13

$1.49 MX$26.15

-6.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.87

$1.78 MX$31.20

-35.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.19

$1.43 MX$25.12

11.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$1.80 MX$31.64

-31.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$2.02 MX$35.42

-36.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.79

$1.37 MX$23.99

-45.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.34

$0.75 MX$13.20

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.22

$4.17 MX$73.1

-47.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.68

$10.90 MX$191

-26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.51

$1.63 MX$28.53

-33.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.53

$3.11 MX$54.5

-27.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.99

$0.49 MX$8.54

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$226

$16.10 MX$282

174.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.87

$2.08 MX$36.46

-54.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.06

$0.94 MX$16.48

-15.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.51

$11.50 MX$202

-49.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.73

$1.30 MX$22.87

-13.85%

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

$24.7K R$126.4K

$24.2K MX$425.1K

2.02%

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

$29.3K R$149.8K

$23.9K MX$419.8K

22.46%

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

$71.2 R$364

$22.53 MX$395

216.11%

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

$13.29 R$67.9

$8.09 MX$142

64.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$25.10 MX$440

-17.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$23.52 MX$413

8.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$111

$7.80 MX$137

177.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.11

$4.15 MX$72.8

70.36%

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

$480 R$2,453

$191 MX$3,348

151.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$78.0K

$3,190 MX$56.0K

378.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$294

$43.23 MX$758

33.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$209

$42.35 MX$743

-3.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$347

$87.9 MX$1,542

-22.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$328

$42.12 MX$739

52.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,089

$239 MX$4,193

70.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,309

$403 MX$7,065

-36.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,935

$366 MX$6,419

163.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,830

$768 MX$13.5K

-27.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,593

$590 MX$10.3K

184.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,794

$435 MX$7,633

115.55%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $239 in Zacatecas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 116% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $31.00 in Zacatecas. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $221, 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 ($866 vs $944 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 116% higher in Brasilia, 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: $409 in Brasilia versus $239 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 $40.00 versus $31.00 in Zacatecas. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $944 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.