Cost of Living Comparison Between Caguas and Zacatecas Cost of Living Comparison Between Caguas and Zacatecas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,570 per month in Caguas vs $944 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,503 per month in Caguas vs $1,493 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,436 per month in Caguas vs $2,042 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Caguas costs about 66% more than Zacatecas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Caguas sits 17% above the global median, while Zacatecas is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.77 $14.77

$6.02 MX$105

145.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$31.09 MX$544

155.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 $7.94

$7.28 MX$127

9.07%

Cappuccino

$2.71 $2.71

$2.96 MX$51.8

-8.45%

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

$1.51 $1.51

$1.22 MX$21.33

23.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.70 MX$12.26

55.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.81 MX$31.58

11.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.79 MX$66.2

3.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.39 MX$24.31

79.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.14 MX$37.36

30.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.57 MX$27.37

40.13%

Eggs

$5.34 $5.34

$2.20 MX$38.47

142.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$7.26 MX$127

-3.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$5.89 MX$103

6.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$9.10 MX$159

16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$1.74 MX$30.48

235.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.49 MX$26.07

63.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.78 MX$31.10

-19.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.43 MX$25.04

186.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.80 MX$31.54

36.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.02 MX$35.31

50.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.37 MX$23.91

67.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.75 MX$13.16

154.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 $10.44

$4.17 MX$72.9

150.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 $13.87

$10.90 MX$191

27.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.63 MX$28.44

-6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.11 MX$54.3

-28.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.49 MX$8.51

302.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 $68.1

$16.10 MX$282

322.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MX$36.34

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.94 MX$16.43

60.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 $14.98

$11.50 MX$201

30.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.30 MX$22.79

-32.31%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$24.2K MX$423.8K

21.34%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$23.9K MX$418.5K

7.28%

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

$184 $184

$22.53 MX$394

716.38%

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

$60.5 $60.5

$8.09 MX$141

648.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 $55.9

$25.10 MX$439

122.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.55 $21.55

$23.52 MX$411

-8.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.4 $50.4

$7.80 MX$136

546.67%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 $9.15

$4.15 MX$72.6

120.48%

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

$304 $304

$191 MX$3,338

59.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K $10.4K

$3,190 MX$55.8K

226.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 $20.29

$43.23 MX$756

-53.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.68 $36.68

$42.35 MX$740

-13.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 $69.0

$87.9 MX$1,537

-21.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 $90.3

$42.12 MX$736

114.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 $780

$239 MX$4,179

226.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 $545

$403 MX$7,043

35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 $1,806

$366 MX$6,398

393.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 $987

$768 MX$13.4K

28.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 $2,358

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$877 $877

$590 MX$10.3K

48.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,118 $3,118

$435 MX$7,609

616.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

11.48

-57.75%

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

Last update for Caguas: July 13, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $780 in Caguas 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 617% higher in Caguas, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Caguas versus $31.00 in Zacatecas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $221 – making Zacatecas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Caguas vs Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caguas costs about 66% more than Zacatecas, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,355 per month in Caguas and $1,415 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 $80.0 in Caguas and $31.00 in Zacatecas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,570 in Caguas and $944 in Zacatecas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacatecas, where all-in costs run around $944, than in Caguas at $1,570. In Zacatecas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Caguas 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, Caguas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.