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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in Acapulco vs $1,415 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,533 per month in Acapulco vs $2,274 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,142 per month in Acapulco vs $3,132 in Guadalajara, rent included.

Acapulco is about 35% cheaper than Guadalajara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Acapulco sits 33% below the global median, while Guadalajara is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 MX$173

$14.61 MX$248

-30.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.76 MX$709

$50.0 MX$850

-16.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 MX$218

$9.43 MX$160

35.84%

Cappuccino

$4.14 MX$70.3

$4.08 MX$69.3

1.47%

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

$1.70 MX$28.82

$1.71 MX$29.06

-0.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$29.51

$1.27 MX$21.56

37.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 MX$54.4

$2.92 MX$49.67

9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 MX$91.5

$5.72 MX$97.2

-5.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$28.86

$1.94 MX$32.90

-12.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 MX$54.2

$2.81 MX$47.77

13.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.12

$1.82 MX$30.95

-2.75%

Eggs

$1.96 MX$33.31

$2.62 MX$44.47

-25.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$121

$10.31 MX$175

-30.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.78 MX$149

$10.24 MX$174

-14.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 MX$201

$12.49 MX$212

-5.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 MX$83.1

$3.14 MX$53.4

56.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.23

$1.77 MX$29.99

0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 MX$61.6

$2.16 MX$36.77

68.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 MX$59.3

$1.95 MX$33.12

78.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 MX$62.1

$2.16 MX$36.69

69.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.2

$1.91 MX$32.36

63.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MX$23.51

$1.51 MX$25.70

-8.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.34

$1.19 MX$20.22

-24.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.67 MX$147

$4.88 MX$82.9

77.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MX$123

$11.68 MX$198

-37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.62

$1.96 MX$33.34

-40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MX$50.4

$3.70 MX$62.9

-19.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MX$16.83

$0.67 MX$11.36

47.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.41 MX$551

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$90.1

$2.29 MX$38.95

131.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 MX$24.59

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 MX$222

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$1.63 MX$27.69

-3.68%

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

$23.1K MX$392.3K

$22.7K MX$386.1K

1.61%

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

$26.4K MX$449.0K

$25.9K MX$440.6K

1.89%

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

$42.55 MX$723

$54.1 MX$919

-21.35%

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

$16.05 MX$273

$23.86 MX$405

-32.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.14 MX$393

$33.51 MX$569

-30.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.29 MX$345

$34.05 MX$578

-40.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.98 MX$254

$11.91 MX$202

25.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 MX$69.0

$6.96 MX$118

-41.67%

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

$180 MX$3,051

$270 MX$4,592

-33.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$193.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.2 MX$1,193

$63.7 MX$1,082

10.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.62 MX$792

$45.02 MX$765

3.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 MX$2,020

$114 MX$1,937

4.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,487

$92.9 MX$1,578

-5.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 MX$9,439

$912 MX$15.5K

-39.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 MX$2,736

$531 MX$9,023

-69.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 MX$17.8K

$1,787 MX$30.3K

-41.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MX$5,904

$1,044 MX$17.7K

-66.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,367 MX$57.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$35.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 MX$8,267

$794 MX$13.5K

-38.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

11.68

-0.68%

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

Last update for Acapulco: August 30, 2026

Last update for Guadalajara: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $556 in Acapulco versus $912 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 63% 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 $42.00 in Acapulco versus $50.0 in Guadalajara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $301 – making Acapulco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 53% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,386 per month in Acapulco and $2,123 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 $924 in Acapulco and $1,415 in Guadalajara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $180 per month in Acapulco and $270 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 $924, than in Guadalajara at $1,415. 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 $924 versus $1,415 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.