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 $1,149 per month in Guadalajara vs $1,714 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,858 per month in Guadalajara vs $2,584 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,568 per month in Guadalajara vs $3,454 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Guadalajara is about 33% 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 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.71 MX$186

$11.26 MX$196

-4.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.63 MX$655

$53.8 MX$936

-30.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 MX$141

$9.77 MX$170

-17.30%

Cappuccino

$3.24 MX$56.4

$3.48 MX$60.5

-6.90%

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

$1.37 MX$23.82

$1.59 MX$27.60

-13.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.74

$1.04 MX$18.10

-13.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 MX$37.24

$2.34 MX$40.76

-8.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 MX$67.2

$3.90 MX$67.9

-1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MX$24.14

$1.84 MX$32.01

-24.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 MX$46.91

$2.57 MX$44.83

4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.32

$2.42 MX$42.18

-30.58%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.26

$2.16 MX$37.56

17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 MX$160

$9.25 MX$161

-0.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 MX$138

$9.48 MX$165

-16.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 MX$174

$14.56 MX$254

-31.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$47.04

$2.54 MX$44.26

6.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.49

$1.48 MX$25.77

-1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.48

$1.54 MX$26.89

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.33

$1.77 MX$30.77

-14.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.80

$1.08 MX$18.88

58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.61

$1.63 MX$28.38

22.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 MX$24.03

$2.82 MX$49.12

-51.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.46

$1.29 MX$22.47

-13.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.56 MX$79.5

$4.86 MX$84.7

-6.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 MX$195

$11.59 MX$202

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$27.16

$1.23 MX$21.48

26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.12 MX$54.3

3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.04

$0.83 MX$14.42

-37.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.06 MX$454

$50.4 MX$877

-48.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 MX$46.35

$4.32 MX$75.3

-38.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 MX$28.10

$2.66 MX$46.24

-39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.77 MX$205

$10.48 MX$182

12.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.14

$1.31 MX$22.87

1.53%

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

$23.6K MX$410.5K

$21.9K MX$381.2K

7.69%

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

$24.2K MX$420.9K

$23.3K MX$405.6K

3.78%

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

$30.98 MX$539

$82.9 MX$1,443

-62.63%

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

$23.74 MX$413

$23.78 MX$414

-0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.13 MX$472

$25.99 MX$453

4.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.02 MX$592

$44.32 MX$772

-23.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.92 MX$347

$15.84 MX$276

25.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 MX$84.5

$3.94 MX$68.7

23.10%

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

$189 MX$3,296

$131 MX$2,274

44.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,333 MX$110.3K

$7,880 MX$137.2K

-19.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.35 MX$859

$70.6 MX$1,229

-30.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 MX$885

$50.5 MX$879

0.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 MX$1,737

$90.6 MX$1,578

10.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 MX$1,621

$64.2 MX$1,119

44.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 MX$12.5K

$851 MX$14.8K

-15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 MX$7,634

$827 MX$14.4K

-47.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 MX$23.0K

$2,218 MX$38.6K

-40.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 MX$14.7K

$1,476 MX$25.7K

-42.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 MX$57.1K

$3,843 MX$66.9K

-14.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,021 MX$35.2K

$2,197 MX$38.3K

-7.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$797 MX$13.9K

$792 MX$13.8K

0.67%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Guadalajara versus $851 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 Guadalajara, 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 $38.00 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 49%, 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 $1,723 per month in Guadalajara and $2,571 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 93% less in Guadalajara. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $189 per month in Guadalajara and $131 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 $1,149, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,714. 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.