Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cozumel and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Cozumel: $1,157 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cozumel, Mexico
Austin, TX, United States
Cozumel
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,157
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,689
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cozumel and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cozumel and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,157 in Cozumel versus $2,689 in Austin, TX.

  • Cozumel $1,157
  • Austin, TX $2,689

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,819 in Cozumel versus $4,112 in Austin, TX.

  • Cozumel $1,819
  • Austin, TX $4,112

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,481 in Cozumel versus $5,534 in Austin, TX.

  • Cozumel $2,481
  • Austin, TX $5,534

Living in Cozumel costs roughly 57% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cozumel is 14% below, Austin, TX is 99% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cozumel
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.54 MX$160
$21.34 $21.34
-59.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.83 MX$823
$87.9 $87.9
-50.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.26 MX$155
$12.44 $12.44
-33.60%
Cappuccino
$2.81 MX$52.7
$5.60 $5.60
-49.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 MX$20.77
$3.65 $3.65
-69.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 MX$17.54
$2.39 $2.39
-61.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.63 MX$30.67
$7.82 $7.82
-79.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 MX$56.5
$8.75 $8.75
-65.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cozumel
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 MX$26.11
$1.12 $1.12
24.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 MX$30.00
$3.62 $3.62
-55.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 MX$31.60
$3.50 $3.50
-52.00%
Eggs
$1.89 MX$35.45
$4.45 $4.45
-57.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.97 MX$187
$13.18 $13.18
-24.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.80 MX$147
$13.94 $13.94
-44.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 MX$228
$16.46 $16.46
-26.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.46 MX$46.12
$4.73 $4.73
-47.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.80
$1.50 $1.50
-8.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.09 MX$39.34
$4.64 $4.64
-54.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 MX$28.60
$4.52 $4.52
-66.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.25 MX$42.28
$2.55 $2.55
-11.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.74 MX$32.62
$2.39 $2.39
-27.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 MX$27.63
$1.84 $1.84
-20.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 MX$20.72
$2.13 $2.13
-48.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 MX$81.3
$10.05 $10.05
-56.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.81 MX$203
$14.88 $14.88
-27.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 MX$27.00
$2.82 $2.82
-48.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 MX$46.87
$3.29 $3.29
-24.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Cozumel
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.67 MX$12.57
$1.23 $1.23
-45.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.41 MX$571
$41.43 $41.43
-26.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$2.68 $2.68
-0.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.02 MX$56.7
$1.63 $1.63
85.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.86 MX$166
$35.20 $35.20
-74.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 MX$25.19
$0.98 $0.98
36.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.2K MX$380.1K
$34.4K $34.4K
-41.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.9K MX$431.0K
$26.8K $26.8K
-14.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cozumel
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.5 MX$1,079
$252 $252
-77.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.06 MX$377
$59.8 $59.8
-66.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.74 MX$408
$69.7 $69.7
-68.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cozumel
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.37 MX$702
$60.4 $60.4
-38.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.59 MX$368
$18.14 $18.14
7.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 MX$112
$13.75 $13.75
-56.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cozumel
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$258 MX$4,847
$1,458 $1,458
-82.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,536 MX$66.4K
$26.6K $26.6K
-86.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cozumel
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 MX$1,015
$52.6 $52.6
2.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.8 MX$991
$45.76 $45.76
15.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 MX$1,897
$85.5 $85.5
18.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 MX$1,578
$106 $106
-20.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cozumel
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$585 MX$11.0K
$2,195 $2,195
-73.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$428 MX$8,044
$1,269 $1,269
-66.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,582 MX$29.7K
$4,000 $4,000
-60.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$758 MX$14.2K
$2,406 $2,406
-68.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,921 MX$36.1K
$7,381 $7,381
-73.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,140 MX$21.4K
$2,964 $2,964
-61.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cozumel
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$635 MX$11.9K
$5,043 $5,043
-87.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.64
6.82
70.67%

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

Last update for Cozumel: November 1, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cozumel
$428
Austin, TX
$1.3K 196% $841
Groceries & Markets
Cozumel
$249
Austin, TX
$407 63.5% $158
Eating Out
Cozumel
$149
Austin, TX
$356 139% $207
Clothing & Footwear
Cozumel
$131
Austin, TX
$130 0.8% $1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cozumel
$99
Austin, TX
$382 285% $282
Getting Around
Cozumel
$51
Austin, TX
$57 12.5% $6.3
Sport & Entertainment
Cozumel
$49
Austin, TX
$88 78.4% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Cozumel and $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays about 7.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $44 in Cozumel vs $88 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $407 per month, with Cozumel cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Cozumel
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
12:56 12:56 PM
11:56 11:56 AM
1 h behind Cozumel
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
77,236
974,447
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.09 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cozumel Austin, TX 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cozumel
  • Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Cozumel vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cozumel or Austin, TX?
Cozumel wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Cozumel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Cozumel or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 87% lower in Cozumel. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cozumel compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $585 in Cozumel versus $2,195 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Cozumel compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you’ll spend $1,157 per month in Cozumel versus $2,689 in Austin, TX – Cozumel is about 57% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Cozumel compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Cozumel runs roughly 27% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Cozumel or in Austin, TX?
At $1,157 in Cozumel versus $2,689 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cozumel but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Cozumel the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Cozumel or Austin, TX?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cozumel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Cozumel vs other spots: cost of living compared

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