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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,669 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,157 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,844 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,455 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,530 in Guadalajara, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 44% more than Guadalajara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sits 25% above the global median, while Guadalajara is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$194

$10.46 MX$181

6.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$930

$38.85 MX$673

38.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$165

$7.99 MX$139

19.52%

Cappuccino

$3.38 MX$58.5

$3.19 MX$55.2

5.96%

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

$1.54 MX$26.72

$1.38 MX$23.99

11.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$0.93 MX$16.15

17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MX$42.00

$2.10 MX$36.45

15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MX$70.1

$3.89 MX$67.4

4.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$31.84

$1.40 MX$24.29

31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 MX$43.21

$2.65 MX$45.84

-6.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 MX$41.45

$1.66 MX$28.85

43.98%

Eggs

$2.16 MX$37.47

$2.51 MX$43.52

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 MX$165

$9.63 MX$167

-1.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 MX$169

$7.67 MX$133

27.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 MX$251

$10.37 MX$180

39.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.50

$2.65 MX$45.85

-3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.67

$1.45 MX$25.21

2.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.80 MX$31.25

-16.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.08

$1.56 MX$27.11

11.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$1.80 MX$31.18

-40.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.60

$2.01 MX$34.79

-14.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 MX$48.95

$1.34 MX$23.17

110.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$21.74

$1.08 MX$18.64

15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MX$82.0

$4.40 MX$76.2

7.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 MX$201

$11.22 MX$195

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.61

$1.62 MX$28.05

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.0

$3.22 MX$55.9

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MX$14.36

$0.52 MX$8.94

59.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 MX$892

$26.91 MX$466

91.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 MX$72.8

$2.71 MX$46.94

54.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 MX$48.65

$1.59 MX$27.63

76.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 MX$179

$11.68 MX$202

-11.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.95

$1.32 MX$22.87

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

$21.8K MX$377.4K

$24.2K MX$419.0K

-9.91%

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

$22.8K MX$395.8K

$23.7K MX$410.4K

-3.56%

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

$83.2 MX$1,442

$31.32 MX$543

165.74%

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

$23.31 MX$404

$24.53 MX$425

-4.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.83 MX$448

$27.53 MX$477

-6.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.93 MX$761

$33.01 MX$572

33.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 MX$279

$19.54 MX$339

-17.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 MX$67.4

$5.03 MX$87.2

-22.66%

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

$130 MX$2,259

$187 MX$3,234

-30.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,781 MX$134.8K

$6,425 MX$111.3K

21.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MX$1,236

$49.73 MX$862

43.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$879

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 MX$1,583

$98.5 MX$1,706

-7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 MX$1,140

$90.9 MX$1,575

-27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 MX$14.7K

$706 MX$12.2K

19.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 MX$14.3K

$438 MX$7,590

88.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 MX$38.1K

$1,355 MX$23.5K

62.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 MX$25.7K

$842 MX$14.6K

76.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,853 MX$66.8K

$3,208 MX$55.6K

20.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 MX$38.1K

$1,998 MX$34.6K

10.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$805 MX$14.0K

$797 MX$13.8K

1.01%

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 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: May 31, 2026

Last update for Guadalajara: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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 1% higher in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 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 $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $39.00 in Guadalajara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $257 – making Guadalajara 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

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

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,504 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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 Guadalajara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 91% less in Guadalajara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $130 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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 Guadalajara, where all-in costs run around $1,157, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. In Guadalajara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guadalajara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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