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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,669 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,455 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 14% more than Mexico City, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Mexico City sit above the global median – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 25%, Mexico City by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$194

$13.18 MX$228

-15.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$930

$53.9 MX$934

-0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$165

$9.42 MX$163

1.38%

Cappuccino

$3.38 MX$58.5

$3.55 MX$61.5

-4.79%

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

$1.54 MX$26.72

$1.62 MX$28.03

-4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$1.11 MX$19.31

-1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MX$42.00

$3.12 MX$54.1

-22.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MX$70.1

$4.63 MX$80.2

-12.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$31.84

$1.70 MX$29.48

8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 MX$43.21

$2.72 MX$47.10

-8.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 MX$41.45

$1.91 MX$33.13

25.13%

Eggs

$2.16 MX$37.47

$2.54 MX$43.94

-14.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 MX$165

$10.03 MX$174

-5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 MX$169

$8.09 MX$140

20.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 MX$251

$11.62 MX$201

24.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.50

$2.97 MX$51.4

-13.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.67

$1.81 MX$31.30

-18.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.01 MX$34.88

-24.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.08

$2.03 MX$35.26

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$2.12 MX$36.82

-49.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.60

$2.27 MX$39.32

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 MX$48.95

$1.40 MX$24.26

101.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$21.74

$1.13 MX$19.59

10.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MX$82.0

$4.27 MX$74.0

10.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 MX$201

$15.56 MX$270

-25.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.61

$1.76 MX$30.44

-32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.0

$3.60 MX$62.3

-10.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MX$14.36

$0.38 MX$6.64

118.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 MX$892

$19.18 MX$332

168.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 MX$72.8

$1.38 MX$23.84

204.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 MX$48.65

$0.28 MX$4.79

903.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 MX$179

$5.45 MX$94.4

89.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.95

$1.30 MX$22.60

1.54%

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

$21.8K MX$377.4K

$18.7K MX$323.8K

16.55%

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

$22.8K MX$395.8K

$23.1K MX$400.8K

-1.25%

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

$83.2 MX$1,442

$40.86 MX$708

103.70%

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

$23.31 MX$404

$26.81 MX$465

-13.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.83 MX$448

$29.96 MX$519

-13.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.93 MX$761

$52.0 MX$901

-15.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 MX$279

$26.84 MX$465

-39.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 MX$67.4

$6.30 MX$109

-38.25%

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

$130 MX$2,259

$436 MX$7,558

-70.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,781 MX$134.8K

$10.4K MX$180.5K

-25.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MX$1,236

$56.7 MX$982

25.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$879

$44.38 MX$769

14.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 MX$1,583

$103 MX$1,784

-11.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 MX$1,140

$106 MX$1,829

-37.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 MX$14.7K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-17.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 MX$14.3K

$631 MX$10.9K

30.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 MX$38.1K

$2,136 MX$37.0K

3.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 MX$25.7K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

19.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,853 MX$66.8K

$3,903 MX$67.6K

-1.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 MX$38.1K

$2,064 MX$35.8K

6.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$805 MX$14.0K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-27.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.34

1.41%

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 Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $1,022 in Mexico City. 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 38% higher in Mexico City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $288 – making Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 14%, 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 $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 169% less in Mexico City. 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 $436 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. In Mexico City 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 Mexico City – 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 Mexico City. 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.