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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,157 per month in Guadalajara vs $1,669 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,844 per month in Guadalajara vs $2,562 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,530 per month in Guadalajara vs $3,455 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Guadalajara is about 31% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Guadalajara sits 14% below the global median, while Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.46 MX$181

$11.17 MX$194

-6.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 MX$673

$53.6 MX$930

-27.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 MX$139

$9.55 MX$165

-16.34%

Cappuccino

$3.19 MX$55.2

$3.38 MX$58.5

-5.62%

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

$1.38 MX$23.99

$1.54 MX$26.72

-10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 MX$16.15

$1.09 MX$18.95

-14.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MX$36.45

$2.42 MX$42.00

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 MX$67.4

$4.05 MX$70.1

-3.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.29

$1.84 MX$31.84

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$45.84

$2.49 MX$43.21

6.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.85

$2.39 MX$41.45

-30.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.52

$2.16 MX$37.47

16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 MX$167

$9.50 MX$165

1.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 MX$133

$9.75 MX$169

-21.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 MX$180

$14.48 MX$251

-28.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$45.85

$2.57 MX$44.50

3.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.48 MX$25.67

-2.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.25

$1.51 MX$26.12

19.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.11

$1.74 MX$30.08

-10.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.18

$1.07 MX$18.58

68.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$1.71 MX$29.60

17.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MX$23.17

$2.82 MX$48.95

-52.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.64

$1.25 MX$21.74

-13.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MX$76.2

$4.73 MX$82.0

-6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 MX$195

$11.60 MX$201

-3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$28.05

$1.19 MX$20.61

36.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MX$55.9

$3.23 MX$56.0

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$8.94

$0.83 MX$14.36

-37.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.91 MX$466

$51.5 MX$892

-47.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 MX$46.94

$4.20 MX$72.8

-35.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.63

$2.81 MX$48.65

-43.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.68 MX$202

$10.34 MX$179

12.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.87

$1.32 MX$22.95

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

$24.2K MX$419.0K

$21.8K MX$377.4K

11.01%

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

$23.7K MX$410.4K

$22.8K MX$395.8K

3.69%

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

$31.32 MX$543

$83.2 MX$1,442

-62.37%

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

$24.53 MX$425

$23.31 MX$404

5.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.53 MX$477

$25.83 MX$448

6.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.01 MX$572

$43.93 MX$761

-24.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.54 MX$339

$16.12 MX$279

21.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 MX$87.2

$3.89 MX$67.4

29.31%

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

$187 MX$3,234

$130 MX$2,259

43.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,425 MX$111.3K

$7,781 MX$134.8K

-17.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 MX$862

$71.3 MX$1,236

-30.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$879

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 MX$1,706

$91.4 MX$1,583

7.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 MX$1,575

$65.8 MX$1,140

38.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 MX$12.2K

$846 MX$14.7K

-16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 MX$7,590

$826 MX$14.3K

-47.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 MX$23.5K

$2,201 MX$38.1K

-38.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 MX$14.6K

$1,482 MX$25.7K

-43.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,208 MX$55.6K

$3,853 MX$66.8K

-16.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,998 MX$34.6K

$2,199 MX$38.1K

-9.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$797 MX$13.8K

$805 MX$14.0K

-1.00%

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 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Guadalajara versus $846 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 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 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 $39.00 in Guadalajara versus $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $287 – 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

Guadalajara vs Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,736 per month in Guadalajara and $2,504 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 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.

Public transport costs about 91% less in Guadalajara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $187 per month in Guadalajara and $130 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 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 Guadalajara, where all-in costs run around $1,157, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. In Guadalajara 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 Guadalajara – 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 Guadalajara. 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.