Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $1,661 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
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Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lima and in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $996 per month in Lima vs $1,661 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Lima $996
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $1,661

A couple spends around $1,594 per month in Lima vs $2,454 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Lima $1,594
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $2,454

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Lima vs $3,248 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Lima $2,191
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $3,248

Lima is about 40% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Lima sits 26% below the global median, while Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.16

$10.31 MX$189

-57.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 PEN 120

$50.6 MX$929

-30.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.44

$10.14 MX$186

-32.54%

Cappuccino

$3.27 PEN 11.22

$3.53 MX$64.8

-7.37%

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

$1.10 PEN 3.78

$1.49 MX$27.43

-26.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

$0.99 MX$18.15

-34.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PEN 8.85

$2.51 MX$46.03

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.34

$4.47 MX$82.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.46

$1.77 MX$32.49

-10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 PEN 8.86

$3.18 MX$58.3

-18.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.65

$2.56 MX$47.04

-46.88%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.11

$2.35 MX$43.21

25.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 PEN 31.19

$11.62 MX$213

-21.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 19.91

$10.11 MX$186

-42.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 PEN 33.68

$13.70 MX$252

-28.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.89

$2.73 MX$50.1

-26.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.69

$1.55 MX$28.40

-30.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.70

$1.59 MX$29.24

-13.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.06

$1.73 MX$31.81

-14.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.30

$1.26 MX$23.09

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.92

$1.85 MX$33.89

-54.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.02

$2.77 MX$50.9

-68.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$1.27 MX$23.38

-31.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.24

$5.06 MX$92.9

16.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 PEN 30.21

$11.19 MX$205

-21.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.57

$1.49 MX$27.37

28.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PEN 10.98

$3.53 MX$64.8

-9.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$0.87 MX$15.98

-21.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 91.7

$53.2 MX$976

-49.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.06

$4.37 MX$80.2

-12.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 7.00

$3.06 MX$56.1

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 PEN 24.49

$10.59 MX$194

-32.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.65

$1.46 MX$26.78

13.01%

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

$22.2K PEN 76.0K

$21.5K MX$394.1K

3.32%

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

$25.7K PEN 88.0K

$24.4K MX$448.0K

5.18%

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

$73.0 PEN 250

$86.9 MX$1,595

-15.90%

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

$16.26 PEN 55.7

$25.56 MX$469

-36.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 PEN 94.6

$32.06 MX$589

-13.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 113

$45.89 MX$843

-27.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 66.8

$30.59 MX$562

-36.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.33

$4.24 MX$77.8

74.29%

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

$182 PEN 624

$231 MX$4,246

-21.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 45.7K

$8,373 MX$153.7K

59.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 PEN 180

$72.7 MX$1,335

-27.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 PEN 117

$53.3 MX$979

-35.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 287

$97.2 MX$1,785

-13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 PEN 271

$67.5 MX$1,240

17.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,479

$1,197 MX$22.0K

-39.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,166

$758 MX$13.9K

-55.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,060

$2,543 MX$46.7K

-53.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,176

$1,215 MX$22.3K

-47.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,394

$3,814 MX$70.0K

-35.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,702

$2,196 MX$40.3K

-37.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,237

$756 MX$13.9K

-13.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

11.6

-22.93%

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

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$340 33.6%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$758 45.8% 123% $418

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.4%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$304 18.4% 34.5% $78

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$187 11.3% 50.5% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$144 8.7% 23.6% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$131 7.9% 16.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$48 4.7%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$54 3.3% 13.6% $6.5

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$76 4.6% 75.5% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $723 in Lima versus $1,197 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 16% 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 $35.00 in Lima versus $51.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $304 – making Lima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇲🇽 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

🕒 Local time

22:02 10:02 PM

20:02 8:02 PM

2 h behind Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

202,694

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lima Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 5,280 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

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

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

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 67%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,494 per month in Lima and $2,491 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 Lima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 99% less in Lima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $182 per month in Lima and $231 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lima, where all-in costs run around $996, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,661. In Lima 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 Lima – 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 Lima. 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.