Cost of Living Comparison Between Macaé and Chapala Cost of Living Comparison Between Macaé and Chapala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $836 per month in Macaé vs $1,019 in Chapala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,343 per month in Macaé vs $1,508 in Chapala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,851 per month in Macaé vs $1,997 in Chapala, rent included.

Macaé is about 18% cheaper than Chapala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Macaé and Chapala are more affordable than the global median – Macaé 38% lower, Chapala 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.64 R$28.57

$8.27 MX$143

-31.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.48 R$175

$34.06 MX$588

1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 R$32.52

$7.05 MX$122

-8.94%

Cappuccino

$1.89 R$9.55

$3.36 MX$58.1

-43.75%

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

$1.22 R$6.19

$2.06 MX$35.55

-40.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.27

$0.98 MX$16.96

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.20

$2.06 MX$35.53

-11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.76

$3.23 MX$55.8

-34.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.33

$1.59 MX$27.40

-33.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 R$8.31

$2.70 MX$46.60

-39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.53

$1.60 MX$27.69

-19.38%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.17

$2.15 MX$37.09

-6.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.75 R$39.22

$8.22 MX$142

-5.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 R$18.48

$7.47 MX$129

-51.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.31 R$31.97

$7.67 MX$133

-17.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 R$12.30

$2.16 MX$37.31

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$0.95 MX$16.43

29.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.84

$0.84 MX$14.43

36.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.01

$1.40 MX$24.25

-1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.61

$1.41 MX$24.38

-21.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.63

$1.01 MX$17.50

9.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.46

$0.95 MX$16.41

-28.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 R$2.34

$0.83 MX$14.43

-44.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$10.08

$3.97 MX$68.6

-49.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 R$30.56

$9.40 MX$162

-35.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.34

$1.41 MX$24.42

-39.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 R$5.84

$1.66 MX$28.61

-30.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 R$3.51

$0.60 MX$10.45

15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 R$378

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.64

$1.04 MX$18.00

6.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.51

$1.45 MX$24.99

-52.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 R$39.34

$3.22 MX$55.6

141.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.40

$1.28 MX$22.09

-16.41%

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

$18.4K R$93.0K

$18.3K MX$316.0K

0.41%

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

$27.6K R$139.8K

$18.3K MX$316.4K

50.78%

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

$59.7 R$302

$48.93 MX$846

21.99%

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

$9.69 R$49.05

$17.02 MX$294

-43.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.73 R$94.8

$25.84 MX$446

-27.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.82 R$197

$25.40 MX$439

52.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.30 R$138

$15.67 MX$271

74.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 R$31.69

$4.29 MX$74.1

45.92%

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

$535 R$2,710

$181 MX$3,124

196.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,559 R$33.2K

$2,597 MX$44.9K

152.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.28 R$229

$43.10 MX$745

5.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.29 R$148

$15.98 MX$276

83.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 R$365

$66.6 MX$1,150

8.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 R$308

$55.1 MX$952

10.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 R$1,789

$467 MX$8,062

-24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 R$1,163

$419 MX$7,240

-45.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 R$3,343

$805 MX$13.9K

-17.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 R$2,541

$631 MX$10.9K

-20.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,243 R$6,293

$745 MX$12.9K

66.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 R$3,972

$737 MX$12.7K

6.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 R$3,948

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

11.24

0.09%

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

Last update for Macaé: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chapala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Macaé versus $467 in Chapala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Macaé versus $34.00 in Chapala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $219 – making Macaé 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

Macaé vs Chapala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chapala costs about 22% more than Macaé, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,254 per month in Macaé and $1,529 in Chapala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Macaé, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Macaé and $34.00 in Chapala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Chapala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $836 in Macaé and $1,019 in Chapala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Macaé costs $836 versus $1,019 in Chapala. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Macaé. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chapala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.