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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,669 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,413 in Tirana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,176 in Tirana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,455 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,939 in Tirana, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 18% more than Tirana, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Tirana sit above the global median – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 25%, Tirana by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$194

$11.96 ALL 981

-6.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$930

$59.4 ALL 4,872

-9.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$165

$9.36 ALL 767

2.03%

Cappuccino

$3.38 MX$58.5

$1.96 ALL 161

72.45%

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

$1.54 MX$26.72

$1.81 ALL 148

-14.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$0.94 ALL 77.0

15.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 MX$42.00

$3.00 ALL 246

-19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MX$70.1

$4.15 ALL 340

-2.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MX$31.84

$2.14 ALL 175

-14.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 MX$43.21

$1.09 ALL 89.7

128.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 MX$41.45

$2.17 ALL 178

10.14%

Eggs

$2.16 MX$37.47

$3.87 ALL 317

-44.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 MX$165

$13.08 ALL 1,073

-27.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.75 MX$169

$7.54 ALL 618

29.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 MX$251

$15.67 ALL 1,285

-7.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.50

$1.69 ALL 139

52.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.67

$2.80 ALL 229

-47.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.03 ALL 166

-25.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.08

$1.94 ALL 159

-10.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$1.36 ALL 112

-21.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.60

$1.32 ALL 108

29.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 MX$48.95

$1.46 ALL 120

93.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$21.74

$0.75 ALL 61.9

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.73 MX$82.0

$4.30 ALL 352

10.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 MX$201

$11.11 ALL 911

4.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.61

$1.60 ALL 131

-25.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.0

$2.13 ALL 175

51.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 MX$14.36

$0.46 ALL 37.36

80.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.5 MX$892

$19.09 ALL 1,565

169.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 MX$72.8

$3.57 ALL 292

17.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 MX$48.65

$3.12 ALL 256

-9.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 MX$179

$17.96 ALL 1,472

-42.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.95

$2.08 ALL 171

-36.54%

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

$21.8K MX$377.4K

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

-45.95%

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

$22.8K MX$395.8K

$36.2K ALL 3.0M

-36.93%

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

$83.2 MX$1,442

$105 ALL 8,611

-20.74%

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

$23.31 MX$404

$17.92 ALL 1,470

30.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.83 MX$448

$18.38 ALL 1,507

40.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.93 MX$761

$54.0 ALL 4,431

-18.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 MX$279

$23.31 ALL 1,912

-30.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 MX$67.4

$9.31 ALL 763

-58.22%

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

$130 MX$2,259

$288 ALL 23.6K

-54.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,781 MX$134.8K

$5,480 ALL 449.4K

41.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MX$1,236

$67.7 ALL 5,548

5.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$879

$51.3 ALL 4,210

-1.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 MX$1,583

$107 ALL 8,770

-14.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 MX$1,140

$130 ALL 10.7K

-49.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 MX$14.7K

$833 ALL 68.3K

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 MX$14.3K

$540 ALL 44.3K

52.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,201 MX$38.1K

$1,455 ALL 119.3K

51.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 MX$25.7K

$896 ALL 73.5K

65.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,853 MX$66.8K

$4,601 ALL 377.3K

-16.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,199 MX$38.1K

$2,244 ALL 184.0K

-2.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$805 MX$14.0K

$918 ALL 75.3K

-12.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

5.52

108.33%

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 Tirana: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $833 in Tirana. 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 14% higher in Tirana, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $59.0 in Tirana. Groceries tell a different story – $287 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $280 in Tirana – so Tirana 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 Tirana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,120 in Tirana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 170% less in Tirana. 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 $288 in Tirana. 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 Tirana, where all-in costs run around $1,413, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. In Tirana 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 Tirana – 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 Tirana. 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.