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 $1,746 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,612 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,478 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 35% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sits 27% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.27 MX$190

$11.71 MX$198

-3.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.0 MX$878

$46.59 MX$787

11.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.92 MX$168

$11.65 MX$197

-14.85%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$59.7

$4.09 MX$69.2

-13.69%

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

$1.54 MX$26.03

$1.37 MX$23.23

12.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.62

$0.83 MX$14.09

25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 MX$45.54

$3.35 MX$56.7

-19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$79.1

$6.91 MX$117

-32.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MX$31.68

$1.73 MX$29.19

8.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 MX$55.3

$2.26 MX$38.20

44.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 MX$44.59

$1.77 MX$29.90

49.15%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$41.63

$2.73 MX$46.18

-9.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$215

$9.18 MX$155

38.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 MX$180

$8.92 MX$151

19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.62 MX$247

$12.60 MX$213

16.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 MX$47.58

$3.02 MX$51.1

-6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$27.45

$1.57 MX$26.54

3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$28.87

$2.13 MX$35.92

-19.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.74

$2.26 MX$38.27

-19.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MX$22.71

$2.00 MX$33.87

-33.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.31

$2.06 MX$34.89

-1.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 MX$50.5

$1.18 MX$19.94

153.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 MX$21.83

$1.20 MX$20.35

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 MX$87.9

$4.63 MX$78.3

12.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 MX$203

$10.69 MX$181

12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.06

$1.62 MX$27.37

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 MX$63.0

$2.88 MX$48.69

29.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MX$16.65

$0.57 MX$9.69

73.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.5 MX$937

$29.83 MX$504

85.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 MX$79.0

$5.45 MX$92.1

-14.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 MX$56.7

$3.70 MX$62.6

-9.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 MX$194

$5.98 MX$101

92.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$26.82

$1.55 MX$26.25

2.58%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$22.3K MX$377.3K

0.86%

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

$25.4K MX$429.7K

$25.9K MX$438.5K

-2.02%

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

$89.6 MX$1,514

$89.1 MX$1,506

0.53%

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

$27.14 MX$459

$25.04 MX$423

8.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.74 MX$570

$31.50 MX$532

7.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.06 MX$829

$67.8 MX$1,145

-27.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.14 MX$509

$28.92 MX$489

4.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 MX$76.1

$5.05 MX$85.3

-10.89%

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

$253 MX$4,277

$225 MX$3,802

12.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,964 MX$151.5K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

112.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 MX$1,301

$47.44 MX$802

62.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 MX$941

$44.98 MX$760

23.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,704

$82.0 MX$1,386

23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 MX$1,227

$92.1 MX$1,556

-21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 MX$20.7K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 MX$13.4K

$405 MX$6,850

95.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,590 MX$43.8K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

33.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 MX$21.1K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-3.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,864 MX$65.3K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-3.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,174 MX$36.7K

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-67.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$806 MX$13.6K

$749 MX$12.7K

7.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

11.45

1.31%

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 Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,224 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $1,069 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 8% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $277 – 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 35%, 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 $2,618 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $1,940 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 86% less in Playa del Carmen. 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 $225 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 $1,293, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. 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.