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 $1,669 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,455 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 32% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sits 25% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$194

$4.70 ฿154

137.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$930

$45.37 ฿1,483

18.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$165

$8.43 ฿276

13.29%

Cappuccino

$3.38 MX$58.5

$2.93 ฿95.7

15.36%

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

$1.54 MX$26.72

$0.69 ฿22.42

123.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$0.37 ฿12.00

194.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MX$42.00

$2.41 ฿78.7

0.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MX$70.1

$3.72 ฿122

8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$31.84

$2.23 ฿73.0

-17.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 MX$43.21

$1.83 ฿59.9

36.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 MX$41.45

$2.17 ฿70.9

10.14%

Eggs

$2.16 MX$37.47

$2.21 ฿72.4

-2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 MX$165

$19.74 ฿645

-51.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 MX$169

$3.63 ฿119

168.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 MX$251

$13.53 ฿442

7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.50

$3.28 ฿107

-21.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.67

$1.61 ฿52.7

-8.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.41 ฿78.7

-37.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.08

$2.08 ฿68.1

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$1.53 ฿49.97

-30.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.60

$1.48 ฿48.41

15.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 MX$48.95

$0.99 ฿32.32

184.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$21.74

$0.51 ฿16.68

145.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MX$82.0

$4.41 ฿144

7.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 MX$201

$19.38 ฿634

-40.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.61

$1.78 ฿58.1

-33.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.0

$2.71 ฿88.7

19.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MX$14.36

$1.37 ฿44.83

-39.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 MX$892

$11.39 ฿372

352.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 MX$72.8

$3.02 ฿98.7

39.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 MX$48.65

$0.99 ฿32.51

183.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 MX$179

$14.10 ฿461

-26.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.95

$1.36 ฿44.55

-2.94%

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

$21.8K MX$377.4K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-22.77%

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

$22.8K MX$395.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-30.58%

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

$83.2 MX$1,442

$122 ฿3,978

-31.61%

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

$23.31 MX$404

$13.57 ฿444

71.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.83 MX$448

$18.31 ฿599

41.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.93 MX$761

$60.2 ฿1,969

-27.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 MX$279

$17.14 ฿560

-5.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 MX$67.4

$8.69 ฿284

-55.24%

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

$130 MX$2,259

$693 ฿22.7K

-81.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,781 MX$134.8K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-50.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MX$1,236

$59.5 ฿1,946

19.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$879

$34.77 ฿1,137

45.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 MX$1,583

$115 ฿3,746

-20.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 MX$1,140

$83.3 ฿2,723

-21.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 MX$14.7K

$613 ฿20.0K

37.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 MX$14.3K

$437 ฿14.3K

89.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 MX$38.1K

$2,094 ฿68.5K

5.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 MX$25.7K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-1.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,853 MX$66.8K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

2.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 MX$38.1K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-15.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$805 MX$14.0K

$508 ฿16.6K

58.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

5.33

115.76%

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 Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $613 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 58% 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 $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $287 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $293 in Phuket – 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 32%, 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 $2,504 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $1,898 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 352% less in Phuket. 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 $693 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 $1,265, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. 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.