Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Guadalajara Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Guadalajara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,365 per month in Cancun vs $1,157 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,243 per month in Cancun vs $1,844 in Guadalajara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,121 per month in Cancun vs $2,530 in Guadalajara, rent included.

Cancun costs about 18% more than Guadalajara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Cancun sits 2% above the global median, while Guadalajara is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 MX$231

$10.46 MX$181

27.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 MX$928

$38.85 MX$672

38.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 MX$175

$7.99 MX$138

26.78%

Cappuccino

$3.44 MX$59.5

$3.19 MX$55.1

7.84%

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

$1.58 MX$27.37

$1.38 MX$23.95

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$0.93 MX$16.12

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.6

$2.10 MX$36.38

44.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$77.4

$3.89 MX$67.3

15.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.78

$1.40 MX$24.25

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.65 MX$45.76

-4.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.40

$1.66 MX$28.80

16.27%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.41

$2.51 MX$43.44

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 MX$196

$9.63 MX$167

17.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 MX$150

$7.67 MX$133

13.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 MX$185

$10.37 MX$179

3.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.65 MX$45.77

22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.13

$1.45 MX$25.16

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.80 MX$31.20

74.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.04

$1.56 MX$27.06

41.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.01

$1.80 MX$31.12

18.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MX$39.97

$2.01 MX$34.73

14.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.61

$1.34 MX$23.12

-19.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$22.14

$1.08 MX$18.61

18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.6

$4.40 MX$76.0

-4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 MX$177

$11.22 MX$194

-8.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.99

$1.62 MX$28.00

3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.24

$3.22 MX$55.8

-18.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.42

$0.52 MX$8.92

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 MX$1,048

$26.91 MX$466

125.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 MX$72.8

$2.71 MX$46.86

55.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 MX$42.83

$1.59 MX$27.58

55.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 MX$172

$11.68 MX$202

-14.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.01

$1.32 MX$22.83

0.76%

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

$30.5K MX$528.1K

$24.2K MX$418.2K

26.28%

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

$24.1K MX$416.6K

$23.7K MX$409.6K

1.71%

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

$116 MX$2,000

$31.32 MX$542

269.09%

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

$23.15 MX$400

$24.53 MX$424

-5.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.11 MX$625

$27.53 MX$476

31.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.40 MX$439

$33.01 MX$571

-23.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.07 MX$416

$19.54 MX$338

23.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 MX$105

$5.03 MX$87.1

20.48%

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

$197 MX$3,413

$187 MX$3,228

5.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,199 MX$89.9K

$6,425 MX$111.1K

-19.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MX$932

$49.73 MX$860

8.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$690

$50.8 MX$878

-21.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MX$1,430

$98.5 MX$1,703

-16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MX$1,930

$90.9 MX$1,572

22.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 MX$10.7K

$706 MX$12.2K

-12.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MX$7,931

$438 MX$7,576

4.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 MX$21.9K

$1,355 MX$23.4K

-6.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 MX$17.5K

$842 MX$14.6K

20.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,189 MX$37.9K

$3,208 MX$55.5K

-31.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,287 MX$39.6K

$1,998 MX$34.6K

14.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 MX$13.9K

$797 MX$13.8K

0.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.48

-0.52%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cancun: June 1, 2026

Last update for Guadalajara: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Cancun versus $706 in Guadalajara. 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 1% higher in Cancun, 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 Cancun versus $39.00 in Guadalajara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $257 – making Guadalajara 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

Cancun vs Guadalajara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,365 in Cancun, $1,157 in Guadalajara – roughly 18% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,048 per month in Cancun and $1,736 in Guadalajara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Cancun and $187 in Guadalajara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Cancun, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Guadalajara, where all-in costs run around $1,157, than in Cancun at $1,365. In Guadalajara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cancun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cancun has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,157 in Guadalajara to $1,365 in Cancun. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Guadalajara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cancun makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.