Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zacatecas and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Zacatecas: $738 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Zacatecas
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Zacatecas Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Zacatecas

🇲🇽 Mexico

$738

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $738 in Zacatecas versus $2,663 in Austin, TX.

Zacatecas $738
Austin, TX $2,663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,170 in Zacatecas versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Zacatecas $1,170
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,602 in Zacatecas versus $5,603 in Austin, TX.

Zacatecas $1,602
Austin, TX $5,603

Living in Zacatecas costs roughly 72% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zacatecas is 45% below, Austin, TX is 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.12 MX$113

$20.77 $20.77

-70.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.70 MX$586

$84.6 $84.6

-62.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 MX$139

$12.32 $12.32

-39.12%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MX$54.7

$5.63 $5.63

-47.42%

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

$1.21 MX$22.31

$3.72 $3.72

-67.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 MX$13.31

$2.50 $2.50

-71.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 MX$34.45

$8.05 $8.05

-76.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 MX$75.4

$9.01 $9.01

-54.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 MX$25.41

$1.12 $1.12

22.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.21 MX$40.91

$3.75 $3.75

-41.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MX$28.52

$3.26 $3.26

-52.76%

Eggs

$2.29 MX$42.31

$4.17 $4.17

-45.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 MX$135

$12.90 $12.90

-43.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 MX$113

$14.16 $14.16

-56.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 MX$171

$16.22 $16.22

-42.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 MX$32.31

$4.33 $4.33

-59.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 MX$30.63

$1.46 $1.46

13.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.30

$4.51 $4.51

-55.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MX$27.05

$4.34 $4.34

-66.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$36.98

$2.58 $2.58

-22.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 MX$32.50

$2.35 $2.35

-25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MX$28.04

$1.78 $1.78

-14.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MX$15.60

$2.22 $2.22

-62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$79.4

$9.88 $9.88

-56.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.67 MX$197

$15.08 $15.08

-29.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$30.90

$2.92 $2.92

-42.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MX$62.5

$3.46 $3.46

-2.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MX$9.88

$1.49 $1.49

-64.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.52 MX$305

$41.72 $41.72

-60.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 MX$40.77

$2.73 $2.73

-19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 MX$19.91

$1.66 $1.66

-34.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.28 MX$227

$35.30 $35.30

-65.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$26.79

$0.95 $0.95

52.63%

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

$21.1K MX$390.6K

$36.0K $36.0K

-41.37%

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

$24.5K MX$452.6K

$27.1K $27.1K

-9.54%

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

$23.16 MX$428

$229 $229

-89.89%

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

$8.38 MX$155

$59.4 $59.4

-85.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.17 MX$465

$69.9 $69.9

-64.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.02 MX$462

$57.2 $57.2

-56.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 MX$151

$16.33 $16.33

-49.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 MX$81.1

$14.28 $14.28

-69.26%

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

$256 MX$4,736

$1,506 $1,506

-82.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,234 MX$59.8K

$21.5K $21.5K

-84.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.26 MX$836

$52.8 $52.8

-14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.19 MX$743

$43.82 $43.82

-8.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 MX$1,692

$84.8 $84.8

8.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.08 MX$796

$103 $103

-58.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 MX$4,467

$1,907 $1,907

-87.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 MX$2,994

$1,274 $1,274

-87.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 MX$7,074

$3,664 $3,664

-89.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 MX$4,606

$2,538 $2,538

-90.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 MX$10.5K

$3,157 $3,157

-81.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$407 MX$7,527

$5,121 $5,121

-92.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.8

6.79

59.06%

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

Last update for Zacatecas: October 10, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Zacatecas

$228 30.9%

Austin, TX

$405 15.2% 77.6% $177

Accommodation & Living

Zacatecas

$162 22%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8% 686% $1.1K

Eating Out

Zacatecas

$132 17.9%

Austin, TX

$354 13.3% 168% $222

Clothing & Footwear

Zacatecas

$99 13.4%

Austin, TX

$128 4.8% 29.2% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zacatecas

$57 7.7%

Austin, TX

$358 13.5% 532% $302

Sport & Entertainment

Zacatecas

$34 4.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.2% 154% $52

Getting Around

Zacatecas

$26 3.6%

Austin, TX

$59 2.2% 124% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Zacatecas and $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1157% 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: $32.00 in Zacatecas vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $405 per month, with Zacatecas cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Zacatecas

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

00:51 12:51 AM

01:51 1:51 AM

1 h ahead of Zacatecas

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

138,444

974,447

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Zacatecas Austin, TX 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Zacatecas
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

Zacatecas vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zacatecas wins on cost – living expenses run 261% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zacatecas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1157% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $242 in Zacatecas versus $1,907 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $738 per month in Zacatecas versus $2,663 in Austin, TX – a 261% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Zacatecas runs roughly 153% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $738 in Zacatecas versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zacatecas but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Zacatecas 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.

Safety-wise, Zacatecas and Austin, 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 Zacatecas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 261% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.