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 $1,746 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,415 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,612 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,274 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,478 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $3,132 in Guadalajara, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 23% more than Guadalajara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Guadalajara sit above the global median – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 27%, Guadalajara by 3%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 MX$190

$14.61 MX$247

-22.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 MX$878

$50.0 MX$846

3.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 MX$168

$9.43 MX$159

5.20%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$59.7

$4.08 MX$69.0

-13.48%

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

$1.54 MX$26.03

$1.71 MX$28.92

-9.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.62

$1.27 MX$21.45

-18.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 MX$45.54

$2.92 MX$49.42

-7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$79.1

$5.72 MX$96.7

-18.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MX$31.68

$1.94 MX$32.74

-3.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 MX$55.3

$2.81 MX$47.53

16.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 MX$44.59

$1.82 MX$30.80

45.05%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$41.63

$2.62 MX$44.25

-6.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$215

$10.31 MX$174

23.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 MX$180

$10.24 MX$173

4.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.62 MX$247

$12.49 MX$211

17.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MX$47.58

$3.14 MX$53.1

-10.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$27.45

$1.77 MX$29.84

-8.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$28.87

$2.16 MX$36.58

-20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.74

$1.95 MX$32.96

-6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MX$22.71

$2.16 MX$36.51

-37.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.31

$1.91 MX$32.20

6.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 MX$50.5

$1.51 MX$25.58

98.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$21.83

$1.19 MX$20.12

8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 MX$87.9

$4.88 MX$82.5

6.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 MX$203

$11.68 MX$197

2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.06

$1.96 MX$33.17

-18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 MX$63.0

$3.70 MX$62.6

0.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MX$16.65

$0.67 MX$11.30

47.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.5 MX$937

$32.41 MX$548

71.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MX$79.0

$2.29 MX$38.75

104.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 MX$56.7

$1.45 MX$24.47

131.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 MX$194

$13.09 MX$221

-12.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$26.82

$1.63 MX$27.56

-2.45%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$22.7K MX$384.2K

-0.94%

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

$25.4K MX$429.7K

$25.9K MX$438.4K

-2.00%

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

$89.6 MX$1,514

$54.1 MX$914

65.62%

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

$27.14 MX$459

$23.86 MX$403

13.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.74 MX$570

$33.51 MX$566

0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.06 MX$829

$34.05 MX$575

44.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 MX$509

$11.91 MX$201

153.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 MX$76.1

$6.96 MX$118

-35.34%

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

$253 MX$4,277

$270 MX$4,569

-6.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,964 MX$151.5K

$11.4K MX$192.1K

-21.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 MX$1,301

$63.7 MX$1,076

20.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 MX$941

$45.02 MX$761

23.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,704

$114 MX$1,927

-11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 MX$1,227

$92.9 MX$1,570

-21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 MX$20.7K

$912 MX$15.4K

34.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 MX$13.4K

$531 MX$8,979

49.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,590 MX$43.8K

$1,787 MX$30.2K

44.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 MX$21.1K

$1,044 MX$17.6K

19.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,864 MX$65.3K

$3,367 MX$56.9K

14.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,174 MX$36.7K

$2,069 MX$35.0K

5.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$806 MX$13.6K

$794 MX$13.4K

1.52%

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

Last update for Guadalajara: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,224 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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 2% 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 $52.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $50.0 in Guadalajara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $301 – 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 23%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,618 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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 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 71% less in Guadalajara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $253 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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 Guadalajara, where all-in costs run around $1,415, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. 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.