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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,746 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,612 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,478 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 39% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sits 27% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 MX$190

$4.56 ฿150

147.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 MX$878

$32.62 ฿1,072

59.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 MX$168

$8.90 ฿293

11.46%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$59.7

$2.80 ฿92.2

26.07%

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

$1.54 MX$26.03

$0.88 ฿28.93

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.62

$0.49 ฿16.08

112.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 MX$45.54

$2.39 ฿78.5

12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$79.1

$3.71 ฿122

26.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MX$31.68

$1.79 ฿58.7

4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 MX$55.3

$1.44 ฿47.38

127.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 MX$44.59

$1.58 ฿52.1

67.09%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$41.63

$2.13 ฿69.9

15.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$215

$19.92 ฿655

-36.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 MX$180

$3.43 ฿113

210.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.62 MX$247

$11.33 ฿372

29.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MX$47.58

$2.95 ฿96.9

-4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$27.45

$1.72 ฿56.6

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$28.87

$2.32 ฿76.4

-26.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.74

$2.08 ฿68.4

-12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MX$22.71

$1.47 ฿48.33

-8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.31

$1.36 ฿44.64

49.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 MX$50.5

$1.10 ฿36.12

171.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$21.83

$0.57 ฿18.89

126.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 MX$87.9

$4.27 ฿140

21.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 MX$203

$18.42 ฿605

-34.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.06

$1.87 ฿61.5

-14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 MX$63.0

$2.92 ฿96.0

27.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MX$16.65

$2.22 ฿72.9

-55.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.5 MX$937

$22.90 ฿753

142.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MX$79.0

$3.03 ฿99.6

54.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 MX$56.7

$1.07 ฿35.31

214.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 MX$194

$3.93 ฿129

192.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$26.82

$1.49 ฿49.04

6.71%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

-16.99%

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

$25.4K MX$429.7K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-7.38%

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

$89.6 MX$1,514

$103 ฿3,379

-12.84%

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

$27.14 MX$459

$10.99 ฿361

146.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.74 MX$570

$17.51 ฿576

92.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.06 MX$829

$53.5 ฿1,760

-8.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 MX$509

$11.20 ฿368

169.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 MX$76.1

$7.48 ฿246

-39.84%

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

$253 MX$4,277

$557 ฿18.3K

-54.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,964 MX$151.5K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-24.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 MX$1,301

$64.1 ฿2,106

20.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 MX$941

$29.07 ฿956

91.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,704

$96.0 ฿3,154

5.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 MX$1,227

$90.3 ฿2,970

-19.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 MX$20.7K

$730 ฿24.0K

67.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 MX$13.4K

$500 ฿16.4K

58.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,590 MX$43.8K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 MX$21.1K

$1,209 ฿39.7K

3.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,864 MX$65.3K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

7.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,174 MX$36.7K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-13.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$806 MX$13.6K

$503 ฿16.5K

60.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

5.57

108.26%

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 Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,224 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $730 in Phuket. 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 60% 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 $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $273 – making Phuket 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 142% less in Phuket. 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 $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. In Phuket 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 Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. 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.