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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,360 in San Marcos, TX versus $2,188 in Lexington, KY.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,524 in San Marcos, TX versus $3,254 in Lexington, KY.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,688 in San Marcos, TX versus $4,320 in Lexington, KY.

Living in San Marcos, TX is roughly 8% more expensive than in Lexington, KY, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Marcos, TX 72% above, Lexington, KY 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.76 $14.76

$12.86 $12.86

14.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 $59.5

$56.8 $56.8

4.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 $10.43

$9.22 $9.22

13.12%

Cappuccino

$4.73 $4.73

$4.93 $4.93

-4.06%

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

$2.84 $2.84

$2.51 $2.51

13.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.05 $2.05

-15.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$5.04 $5.04

-3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 $5.97

$5.91 $5.91

1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.79 $0.79

-3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.87 $2.87

16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$4.01 $4.01

-4.49%

Eggs

$2.81 $2.81

$3.63 $3.63

-22.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 $9.98

$10.41 $10.41

-4.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 $9.42

$10.08 $10.08

-6.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 $13.21

$14.12 $14.12

-6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$5.39 $5.39

16.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.48 $1.48

-23.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$5.78 $5.78

13.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$4.36 $4.36

8.94%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$4.10 $4.10

-2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$3.08 $3.08

-2.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.17 $2.17

-17.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.01 $3.01

-38.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.82 $8.82

$8.53 $8.53

3.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 $13.89

$12.76 $12.76

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.74 $2.74

-36.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.21 $4.21

-8.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 $1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.57 $29.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 $4.60

$4.86 $4.86

-5.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.5 $59.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.87 $0.87

-8.05%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$35.9K $35.9K

-1.07%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

0.31%

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

$133 $133

$188 $188

-29.23%

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

$36.60 $36.60

$104 $104

-64.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 $52.7

$75.7 $75.7

-30.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.1 $69.1

$32.10 $32.10

115.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.70 $29.70

Cinema Ticket

$11.60 $11.60

$15.22 $15.22

-23.78%

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

$674 $674

$1,619 $1,619

-58.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K $18.1K

$25.5K $25.5K

-28.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 $56.7

$50.8 $50.8

11.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.57 $37.57

$31.77 $31.77

18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 $82.2

$116 $116

-29.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$155 $155

-21.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$1,116 $1,116

18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 $1,251

$938 $938

33.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,825 $2,825

$2,024 $2,024

39.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,215 $2,215

$1,590 $1,590

39.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 $2,399

$2,063 $2,063

16.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,853 $1,853

$2,066 $2,066

-10.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,101 $3,101

$3,943 $3,943

-21.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

6.18

-2.43%

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

Last update for San Marcos, TX: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lexington, KY: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,328 in San Marcos, TX and $1,116 in Lexington, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lexington, KY pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in San Marcos, TX vs $57.0 in Lexington, KY. Groceries flip the comparison at $364 vs $383, with San Marcos, TX 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

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

Lexington, KY wins on cost – living expenses run 8% 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.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Lexington, KY. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,328 in San Marcos, TX versus $1,116 in Lexington, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $674 in San Marcos, TX versus $1,619 in Lexington, KY. 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 $57.0 versus $59.0 in San Marcos, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,188 in Lexington, KY versus $2,360 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 $2,188 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lexington, KY hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Marcos, TX and Lexington, KY 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 8% less than in San Marcos, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.