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City Profile

Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz, Oaxaca

Mexico · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Compare Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz Custom Comparison
78
Overall Score

Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz is a vibrant municipal seat and district capital located in the southern Sierra Sur region of Oaxaca, Mexico. Steeped in deep historical roots, the town famously witnessed the Battle of Miahuatlán in 1866, led by General Porfirio Díaz against French intervention forces. Today, it serves as the commercial and cultural hub for dozens of surrounding indigenous Zapotec and Mixtec communities, blending rich ancestral traditions with modern rural commerce. People are drawn to the area for its authentic Oaxacan lifestyle, breathtaking mountain scenery, and its renowned local gastronomy.

About Oaxaca

Oaxaca, Mexico, is known for its rich indigenous cultures, vibrant arts scene, and culinary traditions, particularly its diverse moles and mezcal. The economy is primarily driven by tourism, with visitors drawn to its colonial architecture, archaeological sites like Monte Albán, and artisan communities. While agriculture remains a significant sector, much of it is for local consumption, though coffee, sugarcane, and tropical fruits are exported. Living in Oaxaca offers a moderate climate and a relatively low cost of living, with monthly expenses for expats potentially ranging from $900 to $1,500, though functional Spanish is essential for daily life.

45,367
Population
$4K
Avg Salary
38
Cost Index
77.9
Quality Score
How this 78/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 70 / 100 70.0 30% 21.0
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 38.0 100.0 25% 25.0
Economy & jobs Median household income: $5,800 Income needed to live here: $3,500 Unemployment rate: 2.8% 95.0 20% 19.0
Growth Population growth rate: 0.8% Job growth rate: 1.5% 47.5 15% 7.1
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 58 / 100 58.0 10% 5.8
Overall score 77.9

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=54, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 17 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business
58
Livability
72
Affordability
88
Growth
62

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz is significantly lower than major Mexican metropolitan areas and a fraction of the US average. Everyday expenses such as fresh local produce, traditional meals at local markets, and public transportation remain extremely affordable for residents. While imported goods and specialized services can occasionally carry a slight premium due to its mountain geography, baseline living costs are manageable. Housing and utility expenditures are well below national averages, making it an economically accessible region.

Average Rent
$250/mo
Groceries
$200/mo
Transport
$50/mo
Utilities
$45/mo
Healthcare
$60/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$20.00
Cinema ticket
$5.00
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$8.00
Monthly groceries
$180.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$25.00

Income

Salary Insights

The local economy of Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz is heavily anchored by agriculture, traditional handicrafts, regional commerce, and public administration services. Agricultural production includes staple crops, mezcal agave cultivation, and forestry products that feed into regional supply chains. Traditional artisan crafts and local markets drive significant small-scale retail activity throughout the week. While corporate remote work infrastructure is still developing, small business entrepreneurship and trade remain the primary engines of economic participation.

The average salary in Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz is $4,200 per year. You would need approximately $3,500 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Agriculture and Forestry +1.20% Public Administration and Social Services +1.00% Construction and Artisanal Crafts +1.80% Retail and Traditional Commerce +2.00% Food and Beverage (Mezcal & Gastronomy) +2.50%

Weather

Climate

🌡️
20°C
Avg Temp
☀️
26°C
Summer High
❄️
13°C
Winter Low
🌧️
35.30"
Annual Rain
💧
62.00%
Humidity
🌤️
272
Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Getting around Miahuatlán primarily relies on walking within the compact central district, complemented by local taxis, combis (shared vans), and regional buses connecting to Oaxaca City. The town's historic layout features walkable streets, though sidewalk conditions can vary outside the immediate downtown core. Private vehicle ownership is common for navigating the mountainous terrain of the surrounding district. Long-distance travel to Oaxaca City takes approximately one to two hours via scenic federal highways.

20 min
Avg Commute
42.00/10
Transit Score
68.00/10
Walkability
Medium
Car Dependency
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At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Cost of living is exceptionally low compared to major Mexican cities and North American standards per INEGI data.
Rich cultural heritage featuring traditional Zapotec influences, local mezcal production, and authentic Oaxacan cuisine.
Favorable mountain climate with pleasant summer highs averaging 78°F per Open-Meteo meteorological data.
Strong community cohesion and traditional social structures that foster a secure local environment.
Scenic natural surroundings in the Sierra Sur region offering outdoor exploration and clean mountain air.
Drawbacks
Limited high-paying formal employment sectors outside of local commerce, agriculture, and public administration.
Advanced healthcare services and specialized medical specialists require travel to Oaxaca City.
Public transportation options beyond regional combis and local taxis are limited for long-distance commuting.
High-speed internet infrastructure can be inconsistent outside the immediate commercial center.
Economic vulnerability due to heavy reliance on traditional agriculture and seasonal regional trade.

Head to Head

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Community Q&A

Questions about Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz

What people ask about living in and moving to Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz, Oaxaca.

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Gathering the most common questions about Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The consumer market basket tracks everyday necessities, including staple grocery items (such as milk, bread, eggs, and produce), residential energy bills (electricity, gas, and water), public and private transit costs, routine outpatient medical care, and standard consumer goods and services to ensure a representative monthly budget.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Local tax climates significantly shift a city's affordability score by directly affecting disposable income. Urblytica factors in state income tax brackets, local municipal property tax millage rates, and combined sales taxes to measure the true tax drag on median household earnings.

Core economic indexes and consumer price metrics undergo a comprehensive quarterly recalibration. This update cycle integrates the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases, municipal utility rate adjustments, and regional housing data feeds to ensure all index comparisons reflect current economic conditions.

Housing is weighted as the single largest component in Urblytica's cost-of-living algorithm, typically accounting for roughly 30% to 35% of the composite score. It incorporates both median monthly gross rent and median single-family home purchase prices relative to local median income levels.

Normalization involves adjusting raw economic inputs against localized purchasing power parities (PPPs) and population-weighted density scales. This ensures fair, apples-to-apples comparisons between dense metropolitan hubs and smaller suburban or rural towns.

Utility indexing applies a rolling annual average that captures seasonal climate variations, such as increased summer air conditioning loads in southern climates or heavier winter heating demands in northern regions, providing a realistic year-round average utility expense.

Remote workers leverage the index to calculate real purchasing power parity when moving from a high-cost-of-living area to a lower-cost region. By comparing index differentials against their fixed salary, users can determine if their net savings and lifestyle quality will improve post-relocation.

While the raw Cost of Living Index measures pure expense levels, it is frequently paired with Urblytica’s local wage index and median household income benchmarks. This combined view highlights whether local salaries keep pace with local consumer goods and housing expenses.

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