Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,669 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,455 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 29% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sits 25% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$194

$11.73 MX$203

-4.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$930

$41.62 MX$721

28.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$165

$10.64 MX$184

-10.24%

Cappuccino

$3.38 MX$58.5

$3.52 MX$61.0

-3.98%

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

$1.54 MX$26.72

$1.51 MX$26.17

1.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$0.97 MX$16.87

12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MX$42.00

$2.95 MX$51.1

-17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MX$70.1

$4.45 MX$77.2

-8.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$31.84

$1.38 MX$23.97

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 MX$43.21

$1.89 MX$32.78

31.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 MX$41.45

$1.64 MX$28.37

45.73%

Eggs

$2.16 MX$37.47

$2.51 MX$43.42

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 MX$165

$8.34 MX$145

13.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 MX$169

$8.34 MX$145

16.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 MX$251

$10.73 MX$186

34.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.50

$2.60 MX$45.12

-1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.67

$1.46 MX$25.25

1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.90 MX$32.94

-20.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.08

$2.08 MX$35.98

-16.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$1.78 MX$30.77

-39.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.60

$2.19 MX$37.87

-21.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 MX$48.95

$1.04 MX$18.02

171.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$21.74

$1.08 MX$18.66

15.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MX$82.0

$4.08 MX$70.7

15.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 MX$201

$10.32 MX$179

12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.61

$1.71 MX$29.67

-30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.0

$2.58 MX$44.63

25.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MX$14.36

$0.51 MX$8.83

62.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 MX$892

$26.46 MX$459

94.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 MX$72.8

$3.26 MX$56.5

28.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 MX$48.65

$2.49 MX$43.17

12.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 MX$179

$3.25 MX$56.3

218.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.95

$1.31 MX$22.65

0.76%

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

$21.8K MX$377.4K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-28.07%

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

$22.8K MX$395.8K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-2.52%

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

$83.2 MX$1,442

$82.9 MX$1,436

0.43%

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

$23.31 MX$404

$22.22 MX$385

4.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.83 MX$448

$29.34 MX$508

-11.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.93 MX$761

$51.6 MX$895

-14.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 MX$279

$18.32 MX$317

-12.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 MX$67.4

$5.07 MX$87.8

-23.27%

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

$130 MX$2,259

$201 MX$3,480

-35.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,781 MX$134.8K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

49.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MX$1,236

$36.92 MX$640

93.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$879

$39.79 MX$689

27.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 MX$1,583

$78.5 MX$1,360

16.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 MX$1,140

$87.1 MX$1,509

-24.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 MX$14.7K

$973 MX$16.9K

-13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 MX$14.3K

$468 MX$8,105

76.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 MX$38.1K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

34.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 MX$25.7K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

21.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,853 MX$66.8K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-2.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 MX$38.1K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-66.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$805 MX$14.0K

$664 MX$11.5K

21.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.42

0.70%

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 Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 21% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 95% less in Playa del Carmen. 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 $201 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. In Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. 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.