Cost of Living Comparison Between Oaxaca de Juarez and Zalau Cost of Living Comparison Between Oaxaca de Juarez and Zalau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,226 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $913 in Zalau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,858 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $1,404 in Zalau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,490 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $1,895 in Zalau.

Living in Oaxaca de Juarez is roughly 34% more expensive than in Zalau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Oaxaca de Juarez 10% lower, Zalau 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 MX$123

$7.72 RON 35.38

-7.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.89 MX$601

$36.12 RON 165

-3.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.72 MX$150

$5.63 RON 25.81

54.88%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MX$51.7

$2.37 RON 10.85

26.58%

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

$1.64 MX$28.19

$1.54 RON 7.03

6.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MX$14.65

$1.30 RON 5.97

-34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MX$46.53

$1.97 RON 9.03

37.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 MX$71.5

$2.41 RON 11.03

72.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$25.29

$1.41 RON 6.47

4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 MX$57.8

$1.13 RON 5.18

196.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 MX$19.58

$1.35 RON 6.19

-15.56%

Eggs

$1.85 MX$31.87

$2.08 RON 9.51

-11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.05 MX$121

$8.53 RON 39.07

-17.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 MX$104

$6.01 RON 27.52

0.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 MX$205

$10.67 RON 48.88

11.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.17

$0.93 RON 4.25

144.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 MX$22.49

$1.40 RON 6.42

-6.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 MX$36.09

$1.53 RON 7.02

37.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 MX$10.37

$1.89 RON 8.67

-68.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.97

$0.68 RON 3.11

223.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.02

$0.56 RON 2.59

273.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$20.53

$0.64 RON 2.95

85.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.19

$0.79 RON 3.63

26.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 MX$78.1

$5.17 RON 23.68

-12.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$5.40 RON 24.76

90.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 MX$25.63

$1.13 RON 5.18

31.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$48.22

$1.25 RON 5.74

124.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.75

$0.85 RON 3.90

-32.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.91 RON 105

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 MX$72.2

$0.85 RON 3.88

392.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.07 MX$35.57

$0.93 RON 4.28

122.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.60 MX$200

$8.13 RON 37.24

42.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$25.29

$1.61 RON 7.36

-8.70%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$29.9K RON 137.1K

-24.92%

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

$26.0K MX$448.2K

$27.3K RON 125.0K

-4.59%

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

$65.8 MX$1,133

$108 RON 493

-38.84%

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

$11.85 MX$204

$4.47 RON 20.49

165.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 MX$438

$6.77 RON 31.00

275.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.39 MX$799

$34.58 RON 158

34.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 RON 96.2

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 MX$100

$5.56 RON 25.48

4.50%

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

$454 MX$7,825

$456 RON 2,088

-0.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K MX$356.2K

$7,261 RON 33.3K

184.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.07 MX$845

$55.2 RON 253

-11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 MX$1,140

$31.04 RON 142

113.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,844

$60.1 RON 275

78.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 MX$1,763

$67.7 RON 310

51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 MX$13.1K

$408 RON 1,869

86.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 MX$9,005

$297 RON 1,361

76.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 MX$21.9K

$626 RON 2,866

102.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$930 MX$16.0K

$479 RON 2,193

94.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,934 RON 8,859

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 RON 6,549

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 RON 2,952

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

6.85

60.00%

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

Last update for Oaxaca de Juarez: September 13, 2026

Last update for Zalau: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $761 in Oaxaca de Juarez and $408 in Zalau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $36.00 in Zalau. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $190, with Zalau 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

Oaxaca de Juarez vs Zalau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zalau wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Oaxaca de Juarez. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zalau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,840 in Oaxaca de Juarez and $1,369 in Zalau to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $761 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $408 in Zalau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Oaxaca de Juarez. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,226 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $913 in Zalau – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $913 in Zalau versus $1,226 in Oaxaca de Juarez, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zalau but tight or insufficient in Oaxaca de Juarez. The gap between the two cities makes Zalau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zalau delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $913 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zalau hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Oaxaca de Juarez and Zalau 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 Zalau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Oaxaca de Juarez. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.