Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Guadalajara Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Guadalajara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $955 per month in Acapulco vs $1,157 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Acapulco vs $1,844 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,965 per month in Acapulco vs $2,530 in Guadalajara, rent included.

Acapulco is about 17% cheaper than Guadalajara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Acapulco and Guadalajara are more affordable than the global median – Acapulco 29% lower, Guadalajara 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 MX$186

$10.46 MX$181

3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.02 MX$554

$38.85 MX$672

-17.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 MX$196

$7.99 MX$138

41.93%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$65.0

$3.19 MX$55.1

17.87%

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

$1.82 MX$31.49

$1.38 MX$23.95

31.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.69

$0.93 MX$16.12

65.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MX$44.51

$2.10 MX$36.38

22.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$81.9

$3.89 MX$67.3

21.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.40 MX$24.25

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 MX$55.1

$2.65 MX$45.76

20.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.82

$1.66 MX$28.80

-6.63%

Eggs

$1.74 MX$30.15

$2.51 MX$43.44

-30.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 MX$108

$9.63 MX$167

-35.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 MX$141

$7.67 MX$133

5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 MX$186

$10.37 MX$179

3.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 MX$78.4

$2.65 MX$45.77

70.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.07

$1.45 MX$25.16

15.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 MX$55.2

$1.80 MX$31.20

77.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$1.56 MX$27.06

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 MX$59.4

$1.80 MX$31.12

91.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.68

$2.01 MX$34.73

42.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.67

$1.34 MX$23.12

-6.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$13.42

$1.08 MX$18.61

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 MX$135

$4.40 MX$76.0

77.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 MX$122

$11.22 MX$194

-37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.62 MX$28.00

-35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.37

$3.22 MX$55.8

-18.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.67

$0.52 MX$8.92

40.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.91 MX$466

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$2.71 MX$46.86

57.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.68

$1.59 MX$27.58

-3.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 MX$145

$11.68 MX$202

-28.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.73

$1.32 MX$22.83

-4.55%

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

$21.0K MX$362.7K

$24.2K MX$418.2K

-13.28%

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

$22.1K MX$382.6K

$23.7K MX$409.6K

-6.61%

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

$38.89 MX$673

$31.32 MX$542

24.17%

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

$22.51 MX$389

$24.53 MX$424

-8.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 MX$361

$27.53 MX$476

-24.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.76 MX$324

$33.01 MX$571

-43.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 MX$229

$19.54 MX$338

-32.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 MX$62.7

$5.03 MX$87.1

-28.03%

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

$156 MX$2,706

$187 MX$3,228

-16.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$61.7K

$6,425 MX$111.1K

-44.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MX$1,105

$49.73 MX$860

28.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 MX$726

$50.8 MX$878

-17.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,826

$98.5 MX$1,703

7.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MX$1,390

$90.9 MX$1,572

-11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MX$8,748

$706 MX$12.2K

-28.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 MX$4,208

$438 MX$7,576

-44.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$15.9K

$1,355 MX$23.4K

-32.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 MX$4,302

$842 MX$14.6K

-70.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,208 MX$55.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,998 MX$34.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 MX$8,412

$797 MX$13.8K

-38.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.48

0.17%

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

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Last update for Guadalajara: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Acapulco versus $706 in Guadalajara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 64% higher in Guadalajara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Acapulco versus $39.00 in Guadalajara. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Acapulco vs $257 in Guadalajara – so Guadalajara wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Acapulco vs Guadalajara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guadalajara costs about 21% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,433 per month in Acapulco and $1,736 in Guadalajara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acapulco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $955 in Acapulco and $1,157 in Guadalajara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Acapulco and $187 in Guadalajara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Guadalajara at $1,157. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guadalajara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $955 versus $1,157 in Guadalajara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Acapulco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guadalajara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.