Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and San Marcos, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and San Marcos, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,317 in Lexington, KY versus $2,619 in San Marcos, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,410 in Lexington, KY versus $3,871 in San Marcos, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,503 in Lexington, KY versus $5,123 in San Marcos, TX.

Living in Lexington, KY costs roughly 12% less than in San Marcos, TX, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lexington, KY 73% above, San Marcos, TX 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.75 $14.75

$19.32 $19.32

-23.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 $71.0

$68.5 $68.5

3.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 $10.20

$9.94 $9.94

2.62%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$4.81 $4.81

4.99%

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

$2.28 $2.28

$2.79 $2.79

-18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.10 $2.10

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.84 $4.84

$6.15 $6.15

-21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.04 $8.04

$7.09 $7.09

13.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.93 $0.93

-23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.97 $2.97

-2.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.43 $3.43

33.53%

Eggs

$3.20 $3.20

$3.81 $3.81

-16.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 $12.77

$9.95 $9.95

28.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.02 $11.02

$12.30 $12.30

-10.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.43 $16.43

$17.19 $17.19

-4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$4.22 $4.22

13.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.23 $1.23

0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.88 $3.88

-9.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.62 $2.62

72.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.80 $2.80

20.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.38 $2.38

36.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.79 $1.79

13.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.17 $2.17

-18.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.08 $8.08

$8.10 $8.10

-0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 $12.78

$13.75 $13.75

-7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.96 $1.96

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.83 $3.83

-15.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.05 $2.05

-51.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.54 $30.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.89 $3.89

31.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.89 $1.89

-13.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$30.20 $30.20

-1.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.73 $0.73

6.85%

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$32.9K $32.9K

-29.11%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.83%

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

$207 $207

$189 $189

9.43%

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

$72.6 $72.6

$62.1 $62.1

16.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$66.4 $66.4

2.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.38 $35.38

$69.3 $69.3

-48.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.06 $30.06

Cinema Ticket

$14.79 $14.79

$14.76 $14.76

0.20%

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

$1,168 $1,168

$675 $675

73.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$18.9K $18.9K

30.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 $58.2

$47.12 $47.12

23.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 $35.11

$44.39 $44.39

-20.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$96.7 $96.7

6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 $157

$121 $121

29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 $1,105

$1,325 $1,325

-16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 $1,034

$1,397 $1,397

-25.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 $2,102

$3,056 $3,056

-31.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 $1,731

$2,370 $2,370

-26.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 $2,079

$2,392 $2,392

-13.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,106 $2,106

$1,880 $1,880

12.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,059 $4,059

$3,086 $3,086

31.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.44

3.57%

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

Last update for Lexington, KY: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Marcos, TX: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,105 in Lexington, KY and $1,325 in San Marcos, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lexington, KY pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Lexington, KY vs $68.0 in San Marcos, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $359 per month, with San Marcos, TX cheaper across the board.

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

Lexington, KY vs San Marcos, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lexington, KY wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in San Marcos, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lexington, KY the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lexington, KY pays 32% 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: $1,105 in Lexington, KY versus $1,325 in San Marcos, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,168 in Lexington, KY versus $675 in San Marcos, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Lexington, KY – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $68.0 in San Marcos, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,317 in Lexington, KY versus $2,619 in San Marcos, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lexington, KY but tight or insufficient in San Marcos, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Lexington, KY the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lexington, KY delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,317 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lexington, KY hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lexington, KY and San Marcos, TX 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 Lexington, KY gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in San Marcos, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.