Cost of Living Comparison Between Zacatecas and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Zacatecas and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $792 in Zacatecas versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,243 in Zacatecas versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,694 in Zacatecas versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Zacatecas costs roughly 17% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zacatecas 42% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 MX$116

$8.61 R$44.39

-20.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.13 MX$580

$39.06 R$201

-12.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 MX$131

$8.00 R$41.22

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$3.18 MX$54.0

$2.55 R$13.12

24.71%

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

$1.30 MX$22.04

$1.45 R$7.48

-10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.83

$0.96 R$4.97

-15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 MX$35.18

$2.26 R$11.64

-8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$76.1

$3.89 R$20.05

15.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$25.85

$1.07 R$5.50

42.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 MX$39.12

$2.04 R$10.51

12.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.28

$1.26 R$6.48

31.75%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$41.76

$2.44 R$12.58

0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 MX$137

$12.06 R$62.2

-33.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 MX$112

$4.06 R$20.93

62.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 MX$176

$8.24 R$42.48

25.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.64

$2.34 R$12.08

-20.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.29

$1.42 R$7.32

21.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 MX$36.88

$1.27 R$6.56

70.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MX$27.04

$1.65 R$8.52

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.58

$1.16 R$5.96

85.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.11

$1.01 R$5.21

93.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MX$25.88

$0.83 R$4.28

83.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.41

$0.98 R$5.03

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.82 MX$81.9

$2.39 R$12.29

101.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 MX$190

$7.99 R$41.18

39.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 MX$30.13

$1.30 R$6.70

36.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$60.8

$2.40 R$12.35

49.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$9.87

$0.92 R$4.72

-36.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.74 MX$302

$35.15 R$181

-49.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MX$39.43

$1.05 R$5.42

120.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 MX$20.48

$0.85 R$4.40

42.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 MX$221

$5.97 R$30.75

118.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.20

$1.28 R$6.60

20.31%

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

$22.9K MX$388.5K

$22.6K R$116.6K

1.05%

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

$25.5K MX$432.7K

$32.1K R$165.4K

-20.66%

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

$24.78 MX$421

$91.1 R$469

-72.78%

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

$8.58 MX$146

$12.43 R$64.0

-30.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.05 MX$460

$22.55 R$116

19.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.79 MX$455

$31.51 R$162

-14.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.06 MX$154

$26.35 R$136

-65.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MX$78.8

$7.86 R$40.48

-40.97%

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

$268 MX$4,551

$813 R$4,190

-67.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,528 MX$60.0K

$16.3K R$84.1K

-78.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.46 MX$841

$52.2 R$269

-5.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.48 MX$773

$43.67 R$225

4.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 MX$1,650

$82.7 R$426

17.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.62 MX$792

$86.5 R$445

-46.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$264 MX$4,486

$500 R$2,577

-47.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 MX$3,051

$266 R$1,371

-32.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 MX$6,873

$1,133 R$5,838

-64.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 MX$4,410

$562 R$2,894

-53.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$613 MX$10.4K

$1,705 R$8,785

-64.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$440 MX$7,483

$876 R$4,513

-49.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.8

11.8

-8.47%

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

Last update for Zacatecas: August 30, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $264 in Zacatecas and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 99% 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: $34.00 in Zacatecas vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $245 vs $209, with Brasilia 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

Zacatecas vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zacatecas and Brasilia differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($792 vs $957 including rent). Zacatecas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Brasilia. 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: $264 in Zacatecas versus $500 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zacatecas – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $792 per month in Zacatecas versus $957 in Brasilia – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $792 in Zacatecas versus $957 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zacatecas but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. 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 Brasilia 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 21% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.