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 $1,746 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,612 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,478 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 6% 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 27%, Mexico City by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 MX$190

$12.11 MX$205

-6.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 MX$878

$52.2 MX$883

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 MX$168

$10.90 MX$184

-8.99%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$59.7

$4.05 MX$68.5

-12.84%

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

$1.54 MX$26.03

$1.72 MX$28.99

-10.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.62

$1.38 MX$23.28

-24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 MX$45.54

$3.47 MX$58.6

-22.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$79.1

$5.81 MX$98.2

-19.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MX$31.68

$1.85 MX$31.32

1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 MX$55.3

$3.22 MX$54.5

1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 MX$44.59

$2.09 MX$35.24

26.32%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$41.63

$2.91 MX$49.16

-15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$215

$12.49 MX$211

1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 MX$180

$10.11 MX$171

5.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.62 MX$247

$15.89 MX$269

-7.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MX$47.58

$3.31 MX$56.0

-14.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$27.45

$2.13 MX$35.94

-23.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$28.87

$2.19 MX$37.02

-21.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.74

$2.45 MX$41.36

-25.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MX$22.71

$2.19 MX$36.99

-38.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.31

$1.90 MX$32.19

6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 MX$50.5

$1.62 MX$27.30

84.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$21.83

$1.35 MX$22.81

-4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 MX$87.9

$5.43 MX$91.7

-4.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 MX$203

$17.59 MX$297

-31.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.06

$2.07 MX$34.95

-22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 MX$63.0

$4.75 MX$80.2

-21.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MX$16.65

$0.34 MX$5.74

191.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.5 MX$937

$21.58 MX$365

156.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MX$79.0

$2.04 MX$34.48

129.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 MX$56.7

$0.58 MX$9.77

479.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 MX$194

$5.97 MX$101

92.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$26.82

$1.62 MX$27.30

-1.85%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$22.8K MX$385.5K

-1.28%

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

$25.4K MX$429.7K

$26.7K MX$450.6K

-4.63%

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

$89.6 MX$1,514

$65.2 MX$1,102

37.34%

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

$27.14 MX$459

$29.87 MX$505

-9.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.74 MX$570

$36.55 MX$618

-7.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.06 MX$829

$61.0 MX$1,031

-19.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 MX$509

$26.70 MX$451

12.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 MX$76.1

$6.85 MX$116

-34.31%

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

$253 MX$4,277

$453 MX$7,662

-44.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,964 MX$151.5K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-32.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 MX$1,301

$75.0 MX$1,267

2.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 MX$941

$55.3 MX$934

0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,704

$114 MX$1,920

-11.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 MX$1,227

$123 MX$2,073

-40.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 MX$20.7K

$1,134 MX$19.2K

7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 MX$13.4K

$712 MX$12.0K

11.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,590 MX$43.8K

$2,571 MX$43.4K

0.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 MX$21.1K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-4.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,864 MX$65.3K

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-3.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,174 MX$36.7K

$2,095 MX$35.4K

3.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$806 MX$13.6K

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-23.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

11.3

2.65%

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 Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,224 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $1,134 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 30% 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 $52.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $345 – 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 6%, 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 $2,618 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $2,469 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 157% less in Mexico City. 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 $453 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,646, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. 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.