Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

For one person, living is cheaper in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: $1,661 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
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Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,661 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur.

Austin, TX $2,704
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $1,661

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,454 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur.

Austin, TX $4,133
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $2,454

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $3,248 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur.

Austin, TX $5,562
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $3,248

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 63% more expensive than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$10.31 MX$188

96.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$50.6 MX$920

68.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$10.14 MX$185

21.79%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$3.53 MX$64.2

54.96%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$1.49 MX$27.18

156.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.99 MX$17.99

152.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$2.51 MX$45.60

221.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$4.47 MX$81.3

101.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.77 MX$32.19

-36.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.18 MX$57.8

18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.56 MX$46.61

26.95%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.35 MX$42.81

76.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$11.62 MX$211

12.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$10.11 MX$184

41.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$13.70 MX$249

16.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.73 MX$49.60

60.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.55 MX$28.14

-6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.59 MX$28.97

185.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.73 MX$31.52

142.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.26 MX$22.88

108.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.85 MX$33.58

27.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.77 MX$50.5

-36.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.27 MX$23.17

70.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$5.06 MX$92.1

93.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$11.19 MX$204

31.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.49 MX$27.11

86.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.53 MX$64.2

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.87 MX$15.83

71.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$53.2 MX$967

-23.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.37 MX$79.4

-38.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.06 MX$55.6

-48.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$10.59 MX$193

233.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.46 MX$26.53

-32.19%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$21.5K MX$390.4K

66.82%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$24.4K MX$443.9K

11.36%

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

$219 $219

$86.9 MX$1,580

152.47%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$25.56 MX$465

126.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$32.06 MX$583

113.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$45.89 MX$835

26.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$30.59 MX$557

-51.55%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$4.24 MX$77.1

233.25%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$231 MX$4,207

552.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$8,373 MX$152.3K

156.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$72.7 MX$1,323

-28.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$53.3 MX$970

-17.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$97.2 MX$1,768

-12.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$67.5 MX$1,229

55.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$1,197 MX$21.8K

61.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$758 MX$13.8K

67.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$2,543 MX$46.3K

44.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$1,215 MX$22.1K

107.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$3,814 MX$69.4K

99.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$2,196 MX$39.9K

45.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$756 MX$13.8K

574.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

11.6

-41.47%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$758 45.8% 40.4% $514

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$304 18.4% 24.5% $99

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$187 11.3% 46.4% $161

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$144 8.7% 58.2% $201

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$131 7.9% 1.6% $2.1

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$54 3.3% 36.9% $32

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$76 4.6% 33.8% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $1,197 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 575% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $51.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $304 per month, with Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇲🇽 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

🕒 Local time

01:56 1:56 AM

23:56 11:56 PM

2 h behind Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

202,694

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 MXN = 5.5 USD

100 MXN = 4.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.19 MXN (100 MXN = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20.4 MXN (100 MXN = 4.9 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 1,460 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

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

Austin, TX vs Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 575% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $1,197 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $1,661 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur runs roughly 31% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,661 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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.

Expats usually find Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.