Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Mazatlan

For one person, living is cheaper in Guadalajara: $1,298 a month against $1,392 in Mazatlan, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mazatlan outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Guadalajara, Mexico
Mazatlan, Mexico
Guadalajara
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,298
/mo nomad
Mazatlan
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,392
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guadalajara and in Mazatlan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Guadalajara and in Mazatlan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,298 in Guadalajara versus $1,392 in Mazatlan.

  • Guadalajara $1,298
  • Mazatlan $1,392

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Guadalajara versus $2,002 in Mazatlan.

  • Guadalajara $2,082
  • Mazatlan $2,002

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,866 in Guadalajara versus $2,612 in Mazatlan.

  • Guadalajara $2,866
  • Mazatlan $2,612

Living in Guadalajara costs roughly 7% less than in Mazatlan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

The two cities straddle the global median: Guadalajara is 5% below, Mazatlan is 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.70 MX$257
$10.56 MX$198
29.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.79 MX$803
$45.04 MX$846
-5.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.10 MX$171
$8.26 MX$155
10.17%
Cappuccino
$3.78 MX$71.0
$3.34 MX$62.7
13.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.61
$1.41 MX$26.55
12.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$20.33
$1.07 MX$20.05
0.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.72 MX$51.0
$1.98 MX$37.17
37.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.86 MX$91.3
$2.63 MX$49.31
84.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.87
$1.61 MX$30.22
5.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.55 MX$47.82
$2.49 MX$46.82
2.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 MX$30.55
$1.34 MX$25.23
21.64%
Eggs
$2.39 MX$44.94
$2.65 MX$49.82
-9.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.94 MX$168
$7.85 MX$147
13.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.70 MX$182
$6.78 MX$127
43.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.27 MX$212
$7.75 MX$146
45.42%
Apples (1kg)
$2.79 MX$52.4
$2.66 MX$49.99
4.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 MX$30.03
$1.58 MX$29.73
1.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.43
$1.60 MX$29.95
21.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.82 MX$34.14
$0.46 MX$8.64
295.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 MX$36.66
$1.64 MX$30.84
18.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 MX$33.28
$1.30 MX$24.46
36.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 MX$29.61
$1.48 MX$27.81
6.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$20.20
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.84 MX$90.9
$3.94 MX$74.1
22.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$195
$15.55 MX$292
-33.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 MX$36.71
$2.05 MX$38.58
-4.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 MX$63.3
$3.13 MX$58.8
7.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.58 MX$10.88
$0.73 MX$13.64
-20.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.99 MX$563
$39.65 MX$744
-24.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 MX$39.47
$3.46 MX$65.0
-39.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.47 MX$27.57
$2.38 MX$44.78
-38.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.54 MX$179
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 MX$27.34
$1.46 MX$27.47
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K MX$385.0K
$21.1K MX$396.6K
-2.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.9K MX$430.8K
$24.0K MX$449.7K
-4.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$48.21 MX$905
$57.5 MX$1,079
-16.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.37 MX$420
$45.40 MX$852
-50.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.85 MX$560
$41.54 MX$780
-28.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.25 MX$530
$42.74 MX$802
-33.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.00 MX$206
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.80 MX$109
$4.44 MX$83.3
30.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$234 MX$4,387
$87.0 MX$1,634
168.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,974 MX$187.2K
$1,967 MX$36.9K
407.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.6 MX$1,044
$61.7 MX$1,159
-9.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.32 MX$738
$26.92 MX$505
46.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 MX$1,931
$109 MX$2,048
-5.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 MX$1,482
$81.9 MX$1,538
-3.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$921 MX$17.3K
$802 MX$15.1K
14.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$501 MX$9,404
$607 MX$11.4K
-17.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,549 MX$29.1K
$1,247 MX$23.4K
24.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,009 MX$18.9K
$826 MX$15.5K
22.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,432 MX$64.4K
$1,520 MX$28.5K
125.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,142 MX$40.2K
$1,028 MX$19.3K
108.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guadalajara
Mazatlan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$760 MX$14.3K
$520 MX$9,772
45.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.53
11.6
-0.60%

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

Last update for Guadalajara: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Guadalajara
$501
Mazatlan
$607 21.3% $107
Groceries & Markets
Guadalajara
$274
Mazatlan
$230 * 15.9% $44
Eating Out
Guadalajara
$216
Mazatlan
$174 19.3% $42
Clothing & Footwear
Guadalajara
$125
Mazatlan
$126 1.1% $1.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guadalajara
$100
Mazatlan
$144 43.8% $44
Getting Around
Guadalajara
$42
Mazatlan
$58 38.8% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Guadalajara
$40
Mazatlan
$52 29.6% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $921 in Guadalajara and $802 in Mazatlan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guadalajara pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43 in Guadalajara vs $45 in Mazatlan. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $230, with Mazatlan cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Guadalajara
🇲🇽 Mazatlan
🕒 Local time
07:57 7:57 AM
06:57 6:57 AM
1 h behind Guadalajara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,385,629
441,975
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guadalajara Mazatlan 420 km
From you
  • Guadalajara
  • Mazatlan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 46% 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: $921 in Guadalajara versus $802 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 16% 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 $43 versus $45 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?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Guadalajara is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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