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 $1,746 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $1,388 in Tirana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,612 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $2,245 in Tirana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,478 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $3,102 in Tirana, rent included.

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur costs about 26% more than Tirana, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and Tirana sit above the global median – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 27%, Tirana by 1%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tirana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.27 MX$190
$9.87 ALL 780
14.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.0 MX$878
$54.1 ALL 4,279
-4.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.92 MX$168
$11.47 ALL 907
-13.51%
Cappuccino
$3.53 MX$59.7
$2.38 ALL 188
48.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$26.03
$2.43 ALL 192
-36.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 MX$17.62
$1.28 ALL 101
-18.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.69 MX$45.54
$3.63 ALL 287
-25.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.68 MX$79.1
$4.25 ALL 336
10.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tirana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 MX$31.68
$2.29 ALL 181
-18.34%
White Bread (500g)
$3.27 MX$55.3
$1.24 ALL 97.6
163.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.64 MX$44.59
$2.51 ALL 199
5.18%
Eggs
$2.46 MX$41.63
$3.74 ALL 296
-34.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.73 MX$215
$13.61 ALL 1,076
-6.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.65 MX$180
$9.18 ALL 726
16.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.62 MX$247
$17.05 ALL 1,348
-14.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.82 MX$47.58
$1.95 ALL 154
44.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 MX$27.45
$2.47 ALL 195
-34.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 MX$28.87
$2.18 ALL 172
-21.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.82 MX$30.74
$1.96 ALL 155
-7.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 MX$22.71
$1.03 ALL 81.5
30.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 MX$34.31
$1.29 ALL 102
57.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.99 MX$50.5
$1.42 ALL 112
110.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 MX$21.83
$0.82 ALL 64.8
57.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.20 MX$87.9
$4.78 ALL 378
8.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.99 MX$203
$11.12 ALL 879
7.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 MX$27.06
$1.75 ALL 139
-8.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 MX$63.0
$2.09 ALL 165
78.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tirana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 MX$16.65
$0.52 ALL 40.78
90.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$55.5 MX$937
$19.76 ALL 1,562
180.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.68 MX$79.0
$3.71 ALL 294
26.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.36 MX$56.7
$3.74 ALL 296
-10.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.51 MX$194
$18.72 ALL 1,480
-38.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.59 MX$26.82
$2.40 ALL 190
-33.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$380.6K
$34.4K ALL 2.7M
-34.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K MX$429.7K
$36.5K ALL 2.9M
-30.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tirana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.6 MX$1,514
$105 ALL 8,276
-14.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.14 MX$459
$19.40 ALL 1,534
39.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.74 MX$570
$21.12 ALL 1,669
59.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tirana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.06 MX$829
$57.9 ALL 4,577
-15.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.14 MX$509
$18.35 ALL 1,451
64.25%
Cinema Ticket
$4.50 MX$76.1
$10.24 ALL 810
-56.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tirana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$253 MX$4,277
$351 ALL 27.8K
-27.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,964 MX$151.5K
$8,286 ALL 655.0K
8.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tirana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.0 MX$1,301
$73.2 ALL 5,789
5.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.7 MX$941
$47.68 ALL 3,769
16.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 MX$1,704
$121 ALL 9,564
-16.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.6 MX$1,227
$115 ALL 9,103
-36.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tirana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,224 MX$20.7K
$854 ALL 67.5K
43.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$793 MX$13.4K
$505 ALL 39.9K
57.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,590 MX$43.8K
$1,546 ALL 122.2K
67.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,251 MX$21.1K
$954 ALL 75.4K
31.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,864 MX$65.3K
$4,504 ALL 356.0K
-14.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,174 MX$36.7K
$2,151 ALL 170.1K
1.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
Tirana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$806 MX$13.6K
$899 ALL 71.1K
-10.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.6
5.64
105.67%

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 Tirana: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,224 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $854 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 12% 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 $52.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur versus $54.0 in Tirana. Groceries tell a different story – $322 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur vs $298 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
Is Tirana cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur?
Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,618 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $2,082 in Tirana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 181% less in Tirana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $253 per month in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur and $351 in Tirana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur or in Tirana?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tirana, where all-in costs run around $1,388, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. In Tirana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur or Tirana more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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