Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Acapulco Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Acapulco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,157 per month in Guadalajara vs $955 in Acapulco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,844 per month in Guadalajara vs $1,460 in Acapulco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,530 per month in Guadalajara vs $1,965 in Acapulco, rent included.

Guadalajara costs about 21% more than Acapulco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Guadalajara and Acapulco are more affordable than the global median – Guadalajara 14% lower, Acapulco 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.46 MX$181

$10.78 MX$187

-2.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 MX$673

$32.02 MX$555

21.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 MX$139

$11.34 MX$197

-29.54%

Cappuccino

$3.19 MX$55.2

$3.76 MX$65.1

-15.16%

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

$1.38 MX$23.99

$1.82 MX$31.55

-24.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 MX$16.15

$1.54 MX$26.74

-39.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MX$36.45

$2.57 MX$44.59

-18.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 MX$67.4

$4.74 MX$82.1

-17.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.29

$1.56 MX$26.96

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$45.84

$3.19 MX$55.2

-16.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.85

$1.55 MX$26.87

7.10%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.52

$1.74 MX$30.21

44.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 MX$167

$6.24 MX$108

54.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 MX$133

$8.12 MX$141

-5.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 MX$180

$10.78 MX$187

-3.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$45.85

$4.53 MX$78.5

-41.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.68 MX$29.12

-13.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.25

$3.19 MX$55.3

-43.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.11

$3.12 MX$54.0

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.18

$3.44 MX$59.6

-47.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$2.87 MX$49.77

-29.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MX$23.17

$1.25 MX$21.71

7.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.64

$0.78 MX$13.44

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MX$76.2

$7.82 MX$135

-43.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 MX$195

$7.04 MX$122

59.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$28.05

$1.04 MX$18.02

55.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MX$55.9

$2.62 MX$45.45

22.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$8.94

$0.73 MX$12.69

-28.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.91 MX$466

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 MX$46.94

$4.27 MX$74.0

-36.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.63

$1.54 MX$26.73

3.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.68 MX$202

$8.38 MX$145

39.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.87

$1.26 MX$21.77

4.76%

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

$24.2K MX$419.0K

$21.0K MX$363.3K

15.31%

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

$23.7K MX$410.4K

$22.1K MX$383.3K

7.08%

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

$31.32 MX$543

$38.89 MX$674

-19.47%

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

$24.53 MX$425

$22.51 MX$390

8.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.53 MX$477

$20.88 MX$362

31.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.01 MX$572

$18.76 MX$325

75.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 MX$339

$13.24 MX$229

47.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 MX$87.2

$3.62 MX$62.8

38.95%

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

$187 MX$3,234

$156 MX$2,711

19.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,425 MX$111.3K

$3,565 MX$61.8K

80.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 MX$862

$63.9 MX$1,107

-22.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$879

$41.96 MX$727

20.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 MX$1,706

$106 MX$1,830

-6.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 MX$1,575

$80.3 MX$1,392

13.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MX$12.2K

$506 MX$8,764

39.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 MX$7,590

$243 MX$4,216

80.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 MX$23.5K

$918 MX$15.9K

47.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 MX$14.6K

$249 MX$4,310

238.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,208 MX$55.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,998 MX$34.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$797 MX$13.8K

$486 MX$8,428

63.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.5

-0.17%

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

Last update for Guadalajara: May 31, 2026

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Guadalajara versus $506 in Acapulco. 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 64% higher in Guadalajara, 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 $39.00 in Guadalajara versus $32.00 in Acapulco. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Guadalajara vs $268 in Acapulco – so Guadalajara 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

Guadalajara vs Acapulco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guadalajara costs about 21% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,736 per month in Guadalajara and $1,433 in Acapulco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,157 in Guadalajara and $955 in Acapulco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Guadalajara and $156 in Acapulco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Guadalajara at $1,157. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guadalajara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $955 versus $1,157 in Guadalajara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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