Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: $1,661 a month against $5,142 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $41,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
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Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Living Index
245

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,661

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$5,142

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and in New York, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,661 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $5,142 in New York, NY, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $1,661
New York, NY $5,142

A couple spends around $2,454 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $7,455 in New York, NY, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $2,454
New York, NY $7,455

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $9,767 in New York, NY, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $3,248
New York, NY $9,767

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is about 68% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and New York, NY sit above the global median – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 24%, New York, NY by 284%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.31 MX$188

$26.46 $26.46

-61.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 MX$920

$119 $119

-57.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 MX$185

$14.43 $14.43

-29.73%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$64.2

$6.55 $6.55

-46.11%

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

$1.49 MX$27.18

$3.84 $3.84

-61.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.99

$3.00 $3.00

-67.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 MX$45.60

$8.27 $8.27

-69.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$81.3

$10.05 $10.05

-55.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$32.19

$1.31 $1.31

35.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 MX$57.8

$4.90 $4.90

-35.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 MX$46.61

$7.16 $7.16

-64.25%

Eggs

$2.35 MX$42.81

$5.92 $5.92

-60.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 MX$211

$19.06 $19.06

-39.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$184

$17.38 $17.38

-41.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 MX$249

$18.94 $18.94

-27.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$49.60

$6.96 $6.96

-60.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$28.14

$2.08 $2.08

-25.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 MX$28.97

$6.10 $6.10

-73.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 MX$31.52

$6.95 $6.95

-75.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 MX$22.88

$3.98 $3.98

-68.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 MX$33.58

$4.44 $4.44

-58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 MX$50.5

$2.81 $2.81

-1.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.17

$2.51 $2.51

-49.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.06 MX$92.1

$19.27 $19.27

-73.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.19 MX$204

$19.67 $19.67

-43.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 MX$27.11

$3.08 $3.08

-51.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MX$64.2

$3.68 $3.68

-4.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 MX$15.83

$3.02 $3.02

-71.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 MX$967

$140 $140

-61.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 MX$79.4

$3.07 $3.07

42.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.06 MX$55.6

$2.13 $2.13

43.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 MX$193

$41.21 $41.21

-74.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.53

$1.11 $1.11

31.53%

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

$21.5K MX$390.4K

$35.0K $35.0K

-38.67%

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

$24.4K MX$443.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

-3.92%

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

$86.9 MX$1,580

$217 $217

-60.07%

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

$25.56 MX$465

$74.0 $74.0

-65.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.06 MX$583

$72.5 $72.5

-55.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.89 MX$835

$120 $120

-61.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.59 MX$557

$66.9 $66.9

-54.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 MX$77.1

$22.32 $22.32

-81.00%

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

$231 MX$4,207

$3,425 $3,425

-93.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,373 MX$152.3K

$61.2K $61.2K

-86.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 MX$1,323

$76.3 $76.3

-4.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 MX$970

$55.5 $55.5

-3.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 MX$1,768

$119 $119

-18.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.5 MX$1,229

$131 $131

-48.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 MX$21.8K

$4,506 $4,506

-73.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 MX$13.8K

$3,155 $3,155

-75.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,543 MX$46.3K

$8,817 $8,817

-71.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$22.1K

$5,532 $5,532

-78.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,814 MX$69.4K

$19.4K $19.4K

-80.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,196 MX$39.9K

$6,754 $6,754

-67.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$756 MX$13.8K

$5,290 $5,290

-85.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

6.82

70.09%

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

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: October 5, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$758 45.8%

New York, NY

$3.2K 63.2% 316% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$304 18.4%

New York, NY

$546 11% 79.5% $242

Eating Out

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$187 11.3%

New York, NY

$422 8.5% 126% $236

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$144 8.7%

New York, NY

$364 7.3% 152% $220

Clothing & Footwear

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$131 7.9%

New York, NY

$172 3.4% 31.2% $41

Getting Around

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$76 4.6%

New York, NY

$165 3.3% 117% $89

Sport & Entertainment

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$54 3.3%

New York, NY

$165 3.3% 204% $111

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,197 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $4,506 in New York, NY. 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 599% higher in New York, NY, 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 $51.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $119 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $546 – making Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

01:06 1:06 AM

04:06 4:06 AM

3 h ahead of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

202,694

8,804,190

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.5 USD

100 MXN = 4.9 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.19 MXN (100 MXN = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20.4 MXN (100 MXN = 4.9 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur New York, NY 3,870 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
New York, NY

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – New York, NY is pricier by about 210%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,491 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $7,714 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 162% less in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $231 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $3,425 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,661, than in New York, NY at $5,142. In Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur – 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 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.