Cost of Living Comparison Between Harlingen, TX and Dumfries Cost of Living Comparison Between Harlingen, TX and Dumfries

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,576 in Harlingen, TX versus $1,792 in Dumfries.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,720 in Harlingen, TX versus $2,769 in Dumfries.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,864 in Harlingen, TX versus $3,746 in Dumfries.

Living in Harlingen, TX is roughly 44% more expensive than Dumfries, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Harlingen, TX 91% above, Dumfries 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.78 $18.78

$16.62 £12.31

13.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$89.7 £66.5

-17.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 $10.95

$8.06 £5.97

35.86%

Cappuccino

$5.23 $5.23

$3.90 £2.89

34.10%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$2.23 £1.65

16.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.35 £1.00

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$4.05 £3.00

46.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 $7.19

$5.11 £3.79

40.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.41 £1.05

-26.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.50 £1.11

137.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.61 £1.93

69.35%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$3.77 £2.80

9.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 $12.31

$8.09 £6.00

52.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.55 $11.55

$9.57 £7.09

20.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$15.68 £11.62

-3.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.54 £1.88

98.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$2.38 £1.76

-34.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.42 £1.80

78.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.47 £2.57

36.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.13 £1.58

31.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.93 £1.43

46.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.22 £0.90

67.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.76 £1.31

23.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.72 $9.72

$19.33 £14.33

-49.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 £8.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.21 £2.38

-44.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.01 £2.23

13.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$4.48 £3.32

-56.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.3 £73.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$5.46 £4.04

-35.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.54 £1.14

2.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.96 $28.96

$14.42 £10.68

100.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.88 £1.40

-54.79%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$38.8K £28.8K

-24.35%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$41.3K £30.6K

-38.92%

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

$185 $185

$238 £176

-22.42%

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

$53.8 $53.8

$14.53 £10.77

270.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 $66.5

$46.63 £34.55

42.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 $42.74

$51.8 £38.39

-17.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.66 £19.76

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 $13.45

$12.86 £9.53

4.59%

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

$1,313 $1,313

$1,602 £1,187

-18.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$16.4K £12.2K

40.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$94.0 £69.7

-44.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.56 $40.56

$57.5 £42.61

-29.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$132 £97.8

-35.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$121 £89.8

-8.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 $1,607

$645 £478

149.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$547 £405

149.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,606 $2,606

$1,002 £743

160.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 $2,263

$985 £730

129.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,833 $1,833

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,825 $1,825

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,063 $4,063

$3,513 £2,603

15.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.45

19.45%

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

Last update for Harlingen, TX: April 14, 2026

Last update for Dumfries: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,607 in Harlingen, TX and $645 in Dumfries. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harlingen, TX pays 16% 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: $74 in Harlingen, TX vs $90 in Dumfries. Groceries flip the comparison at $360 vs $308, with Dumfries 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

Harlingen, TX vs Dumfries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dumfries is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Harlingen, TX pays 16% more on average, 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: $1,607 in Harlingen, TX versus $645 in Dumfries. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Harlingen, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,576 per month in Harlingen, TX versus $1,792 in Dumfries – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,792 in Dumfries versus $2,576 in Harlingen, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dumfries but tight or insufficient in Harlingen, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Dumfries 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.

Expats usually find Dumfries gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Harlingen, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.