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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,714 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,618 in Monterrey, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,584 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,585 in Monterrey, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,454 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $3,552 in Monterrey, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 6% more than Monterrey, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Monterrey sit above the global median – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 28%, Monterrey by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.26 MX$198

$13.41 MX$235

-16.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$52.7 MX$924

2.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 MX$171

$10.11 MX$177

-3.36%

Cappuccino

$3.48 MX$61.0

$3.73 MX$65.4

-6.70%

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

$1.59 MX$27.80

$1.44 MX$25.31

10.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.23

$1.00 MX$17.60

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MX$41.06

$2.67 MX$46.81

-12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 MX$68.4

$4.20 MX$73.6

-7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$32.24

$1.66 MX$29.19

10.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 MX$45.16

$2.72 MX$47.63

-5.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 MX$42.49

$1.95 MX$34.18

24.10%

Eggs

$2.16 MX$37.83

$2.66 MX$46.71

-18.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 MX$162

$10.21 MX$179

-9.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 MX$166

$8.91 MX$156

6.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 MX$255

$13.78 MX$242

5.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 MX$44.58

$3.04 MX$53.3

-16.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.96

$1.40 MX$24.60

5.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 MX$27.08

$2.02 MX$35.34

-23.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$31.00

$2.07 MX$36.37

-14.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 MX$19.01

$2.32 MX$40.66

-53.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.58

$2.55 MX$44.78

-36.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 MX$49.48

$1.51 MX$26.48

86.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$22.64

$1.08 MX$18.93

19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.86 MX$85.3

$4.25 MX$74.5

14.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 MX$203

$14.28 MX$250

-18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$21.64

$1.79 MX$31.32

-31.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MX$54.7

$3.18 MX$55.7

-1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MX$14.53

$0.77 MX$13.54

7.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 MX$883

$40.89 MX$717

23.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MX$75.8

$1.76 MX$30.81

145.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MX$46.58

$0.99 MX$17.39

168.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.48 MX$184

$10.39 MX$182

0.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$23.04

$1.34 MX$23.55

-2.24%

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

$21.9K MX$383.9K

$26.6K MX$467.3K

-17.84%

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

$23.3K MX$408.5K

$25.6K MX$448.3K

-8.87%

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

$82.9 MX$1,454

$121 MX$2,128

-31.68%

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

$23.78 MX$417

$27.40 MX$481

-13.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.99 MX$456

$29.75 MX$522

-12.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.32 MX$777

$37.46 MX$657

18.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.84 MX$278

$21.78 MX$382

-27.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.94 MX$69.2

$5.75 MX$101

-31.48%

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

$131 MX$2,290

$348 MX$6,098

-62.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,880 MX$138.2K

$8,983 MX$157.6K

-12.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 MX$1,238

$59.1 MX$1,037

19.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 MX$885

$41.88 MX$735

20.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 MX$1,590

$107 MX$1,880

-15.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 MX$1,127

$128 MX$2,249

-49.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 MX$14.9K

$889 MX$15.6K

-4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 MX$14.5K

$646 MX$11.3K

28.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,218 MX$38.9K

$1,577 MX$27.7K

40.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 MX$25.9K

$1,378 MX$24.2K

7.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,843 MX$67.4K

$4,238 MX$74.3K

-9.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,197 MX$38.5K

$2,757 MX$48.4K

-20.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 MX$13.9K

$1,133 MX$19.9K

-30.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.55

-0.43%

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

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: July 14, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $851 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $889 in Monterrey. 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 43% higher in Monterrey, 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 $53.0 in Monterrey. Groceries tell a different story – $287 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $296 in Monterrey – so Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Monterrey: 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 Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,571 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $2,428 in Monterrey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 23% less in Monterrey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $348 in Monterrey. 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 Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,618, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,714. In Monterrey 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 Monterrey – 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 Monterrey. 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.