Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Mazatlan Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Mazatlan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,375 in Guadalajara versus $1,476 in Mazatlan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,241 in Guadalajara versus $2,113 in Mazatlan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,107 in Guadalajara versus $2,750 in Mazatlan.

Living in Guadalajara costs roughly 7% less than in Mazatlan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Guadalajara 0% above, Mazatlan 8% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.83 MX$256
$11.82 MX$204
25.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.81 MX$842
$49.64 MX$856
-1.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.40 MX$162
$8.93 MX$154
5.26%
Cappuccino
$4.06 MX$70.1
$3.62 MX$62.4
12.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 MX$30.94
$1.52 MX$26.23
17.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 MX$22.54
$1.14 MX$19.58
14.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.94 MX$50.6
$2.18 MX$37.56
34.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.44 MX$93.8
$2.86 MX$49.26
90.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.91 MX$32.89
$1.74 MX$30.01
9.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.81 MX$48.54
$2.70 MX$46.55
4.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.73 MX$29.80
$1.38 MX$23.79
25.36%
Eggs
$2.58 MX$44.56
$2.95 MX$50.8
-12.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.27 MX$177
$8.60 MX$148
19.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.17 MX$175
$7.05 MX$121
44.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.43 MX$214
$8.15 MX$140
52.52%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 MX$52.3
$2.89 MX$49.86
5.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 MX$29.94
$1.74 MX$29.94
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 MX$35.71
$1.79 MX$30.86
15.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.86
$0.51 MX$8.76
284.31%
Potato (1kg)
$2.15 MX$37.04
$1.72 MX$29.66
25.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 MX$32.43
$1.49 MX$25.64
26.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.53 MX$26.30
$1.60 MX$27.51
-4.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 MX$19.42
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.08 MX$87.6
$4.34 MX$74.8
17.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.56 MX$199
$16.51 MX$285
-29.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 MX$33.13
$2.15 MX$37.09
-10.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 MX$62.7
$3.26 MX$56.3
11.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 MX$10.55
$0.74 MX$12.73
-17.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.94 MX$568
$43.09 MX$743
-23.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.29 MX$39.40
$3.90 MX$67.2
-41.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.47 MX$25.35
$2.67 MX$46.10
-44.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.00 MX$224
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.63 MX$28.13
$1.53 MX$26.45
6.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.2K MX$382.0K
$22.6K MX$389.7K
-1.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K MX$437.6K
$25.5K MX$439.2K
-0.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$54.0 MX$931
$62.0 MX$1,069
-12.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.30 MX$419
$48.67 MX$839
-50.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.34 MX$575
$45.12 MX$778
-26.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.73 MX$564
$47.39 MX$817
-30.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.01 MX$207
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 MX$123
$4.76 MX$82.1
49.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$276 MX$4,761
$95.2 MX$1,641
190.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$199.2K
$2,073 MX$35.7K
457.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.3 MX$1,091
$67.7 MX$1,167
-6.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.51 MX$785
$29.33 MX$506
55.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 MX$1,935
$118 MX$2,034
-4.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1 MX$1,588
$87.9 MX$1,516
4.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$884 MX$15.2K
$850 MX$14.7K
3.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$526 MX$9,073
$656 MX$11.3K
-19.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,761 MX$30.4K
$1,299 MX$22.4K
35.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,036 MX$17.9K
$862 MX$14.9K
20.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,351 MX$57.8K
$1,681 MX$29.0K
99.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,068 MX$35.7K
$1,094 MX$18.9K
88.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$824 MX$14.2K
$578 MX$9,966
42.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.68
11.6
0.69%

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

Last update for Guadalajara: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Guadalajara and $850 in Mazatlan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guadalajara pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Guadalajara vs $50.0 in Mazatlan. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $247, with Mazatlan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mazatlan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Guadalajara or Mazatlan?
Guadalajara wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Mazatlan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guadalajara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Guadalajara or in Mazatlan?
Average pay runs 42% higher in Guadalajara, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Guadalajara compared to Mazatlan?
Rent for a central apartment: $884 in Guadalajara versus $850 in Mazatlan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Guadalajara or in Mazatlan?
Shoppers in Mazatlan pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Guadalajara and in Mazatlan?
Dining out is cheaper in Guadalajara – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $50.0 in Mazatlan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Guadalajara or in Mazatlan?
At $1,375 in Guadalajara versus $1,476 in Mazatlan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guadalajara but tight or insufficient in Mazatlan. The gap between the two cities makes Guadalajara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Guadalajara or Mazatlan?
Both work as nomad bases, but Guadalajara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,375 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Guadalajara hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Guadalajara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Mazatlan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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