Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Queretaro Cost of Living Comparison Between Guadalajara and Queretaro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,415 in Guadalajara versus $1,541 in Queretaro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,274 in Guadalajara versus $2,316 in Queretaro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,132 in Guadalajara versus $3,091 in Queretaro.

Living in Guadalajara costs roughly 8% less than in Queretaro, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Guadalajara 3% above, Queretaro 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.61 MX$247

$11.81 MX$200

23.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 MX$846

$66.5 MX$1,124

-24.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$159

$9.71 MX$164

-2.88%

Cappuccino

$4.08 MX$69.0

$3.91 MX$66.1

4.35%

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

$1.71 MX$28.93

$1.85 MX$31.22

-7.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$21.46

$1.16 MX$19.54

9.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$49.44

$3.90 MX$65.9

-25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.72 MX$96.7

$5.93 MX$100

-3.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 MX$32.75

$1.99 MX$33.60

-2.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 MX$47.55

$2.87 MX$48.53

-2.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.81

$2.16 MX$36.43

-15.74%

Eggs

$2.62 MX$44.26

$2.89 MX$48.78

-9.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 MX$174

$9.27 MX$157

11.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$173

$9.49 MX$160

7.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$14.75 MX$249

-15.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$53.1

$3.70 MX$62.6

-15.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.85

$1.71 MX$28.86

3.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 MX$36.60

$2.34 MX$39.61

-7.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$32.97

$2.11 MX$35.62

-7.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$36.52

$2.08 MX$35.10

3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.21

$1.95 MX$32.98

-2.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MX$25.58

$1.58 MX$26.74

-4.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.13

$1.27 MX$21.46

-6.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 MX$82.5

$4.79 MX$80.9

1.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 MX$197

$19.20 MX$325

-39.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 MX$33.18

$2.39 MX$40.47

-17.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$4.45 MX$75.3

-16.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MX$11.31

$0.64 MX$10.81

4.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.41 MX$548

$27.02 MX$457

19.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 MX$38.76

$3.44 MX$58.2

-33.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 MX$24.48

$2.84 MX$48.04

-48.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 MX$221

$11.74 MX$198

11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 MX$27.56

$1.61 MX$27.17

1.24%

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

$22.7K MX$384.3K

$23.2K MX$392.2K

-2.02%

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

$25.9K MX$438.6K

$25.9K MX$438.5K

0.00%

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

$54.1 MX$915

$64.6 MX$1,092

-16.28%

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

$23.86 MX$403

$29.23 MX$494

-18.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.51 MX$566

$26.98 MX$456

24.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.05 MX$576

$61.9 MX$1,046

-44.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.91 MX$201

$26.33 MX$445

-54.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.96 MX$118

$7.96 MX$134

-12.56%

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

$270 MX$4,570

$282 MX$4,774

-4.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$192.2K

$5,412 MX$91.5K

110.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 MX$1,077

$56.9 MX$961

12.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.02 MX$761

$47.42 MX$802

-5.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,928

$107 MX$1,803

6.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 MX$1,570

$105 MX$1,779

-11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 MX$15.4K

$927 MX$15.7K

-1.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 MX$8,981

$606 MX$10.2K

-12.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 MX$30.2K

$1,603 MX$27.1K

11.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 MX$17.6K

$887 MX$15.0K

17.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,367 MX$56.9K

$2,404 MX$40.6K

40.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$35.0K

$1,352 MX$22.9K

52.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$794 MX$13.4K

$946 MX$16.0K

-16.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.68

11.99

-2.59%

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

Last update for Guadalajara: August 31, 2026

Last update for Queretaro: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $912 in Guadalajara and $927 in Queretaro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Queretaro pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Guadalajara vs $67.0 in Queretaro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $328 per month, with Guadalajara cheaper across the board.

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 Queretaro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guadalajara wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Queretaro. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guadalajara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Queretaro. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $912 in Guadalajara versus $927 in Queretaro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Queretaro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Guadalajara – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $67.0 in Queretaro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,415 in Guadalajara versus $1,541 in Queretaro, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guadalajara but tight or insufficient in Queretaro. The gap between the two cities makes Guadalajara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Guadalajara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,415 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Guadalajara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Guadalajara and Queretaro are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Guadalajara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Queretaro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.