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: $974 in Brasilia versus $791 in Zacatecas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,244 in Zacatecas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,698 in Zacatecas.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 23% more expensive than in Zacatecas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Zacatecas 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$6.55 MX$113

32.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$34.19 MX$590

11.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$8.10 MX$140

0.25%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$3.30 MX$56.9

-22.12%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.34 MX$23.16

7.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.81 MX$14.01

19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$2.01 MX$34.58

14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$4.32 MX$74.5

-12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$1.52 MX$26.29

-29.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$2.31 MX$39.86

-9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.68 MX$28.98

-21.43%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$2.32 MX$40.04

5.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$8.04 MX$139

45.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$6.34 MX$109

-35.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$10.28 MX$177

-17.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$1.85 MX$31.95

29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$1.74 MX$30.08

-17.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$2.07 MX$35.65

-36.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.58 MX$27.19

1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$2.13 MX$36.77

-43.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$1.92 MX$33.11

-45.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$1.48 MX$25.49

-45.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.92 MX$15.80

8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$4.55 MX$78.5

-47.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$11.11 MX$192

-27.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.80 MX$31.01

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$3.51 MX$60.5

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$0.56 MX$9.72

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$17.67 MX$305

97.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$2.28 MX$39.37

-54.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$1.18 MX$20.36

-22.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$12.92 MX$223

-50.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.60 MX$27.59

-19.38%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$22.2K MX$383.5K

4.91%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$25.5K MX$438.9K

27.97%

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

$95.0 R$489

$24.64 MX$425

285.47%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$9.01 MX$155

36.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$27.37 MX$472

-18.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$25.96 MX$448

20.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$8.50 MX$147

217.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$4.69 MX$80.9

67.38%

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

$811 R$4,177

$270 MX$4,652

200.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$3,476 MX$59.9K

375.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$49.04 MX$846

5.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$44.90 MX$774

-2.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$97.7 MX$1,684

-14.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$46.73 MX$806

83.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$265 MX$4,577

80.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$173 MX$2,975

51.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$404 MX$6,972

174.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$261 MX$4,494

113.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$618 MX$10.7K

176.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

$442 MX$7,621

83.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

10.8

12.22%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $265 in Zacatecas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 83% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $34.00 in Zacatecas. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $242, 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 23% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $791 including rent). Zacatecas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 83% 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $265 in Zacatecas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zacatecas – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $791 in Zacatecas – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $791 in Zacatecas versus $974 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zacatecas but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Zacatecas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Zacatecas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.