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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Macaé vs $1,143 in Chapala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,437 per month in Macaé vs $1,710 in Chapala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,012 per month in Macaé vs $2,276 in Chapala, rent included.

Macaé is about 25% cheaper than Chapala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Macaé and Chapala are more affordable than the global median – Macaé 37% lower, Chapala 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 R$27.11

$12.03 MX$203

-55.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.32 R$150

$24.68 MX$417

18.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 R$34.77

$7.88 MX$133

-13.45%

Cappuccino

$1.65 R$8.41

$3.56 MX$60.3

-53.65%

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

$1.29 R$6.56

$1.75 MX$29.56

-26.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.84

$1.27 MX$21.52

-55.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 R$5.85

$2.42 MX$40.87

-52.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 R$14.15

$3.22 MX$54.4

-13.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 R$4.78

$1.61 MX$27.29

-41.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.71

$2.34 MX$39.53

-35.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.68

$1.59 MX$26.83

-17.61%

Eggs

$1.87 R$9.53

$2.53 MX$42.73

-26.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 R$44.41

$8.65 MX$146

0.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R$16.84

$5.80 MX$98.1

-43.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 R$45.89

$9.00 MX$152

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.14

$2.35 MX$39.67

-23.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.89

$1.36 MX$23.05

-15.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.77

$1.59 MX$26.81

-40.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.87 MX$31.66

-34.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 R$3.37

$1.67 MX$28.28

-60.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 R$3.92

$1.44 MX$24.28

-46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 R$2.63

$1.06 MX$17.98

-50.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 R$2.57

$0.97 MX$16.42

-48.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 R$7.77

$4.40 MX$74.4

-65.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 R$29.89

$9.02 MX$153

-35.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 R$5.03

$0.95 MX$16.10

4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 R$6.30

$3.66 MX$61.9

-66.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R$7.66

$0.77 MX$13.06

94.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.1 R$404

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 R$6.77

$1.28 MX$21.67

3.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.65

$3.42 MX$57.8

-79.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 R$40.54

$17.84 MX$302

-55.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.18

$1.52 MX$25.63

-20.39%

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

$20.6K R$105.1K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

-9.67%

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

$30.2K R$153.9K

$25.8K MX$437.0K

16.71%

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

$97.1 R$495

$50.2 MX$849

93.39%

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

$9.78 R$49.90

$17.66 MX$298

-44.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.75 R$95.6

$26.75 MX$452

-29.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.63 R$197

$24.74 MX$418

56.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.33 R$150

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R$33.39

$2.95 MX$49.86

122.03%

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

$632 R$3,221

$228 MX$3,857

176.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,807 R$34.7K

$3,099 MX$52.4K

119.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 R$316

$58.5 MX$989

5.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.21 R$159

$40.88 MX$691

-23.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 R$327

$55.4 MX$936

15.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.46 R$232

$38.75 MX$655

17.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 R$1,839

$605 MX$10.2K

-40.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 R$1,203

$509 MX$8,596

-53.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 R$4,434

$1,126 MX$19.0K

-22.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 R$3,302

$820 MX$13.9K

-21.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,227 R$6,260

$758 MX$12.8K

61.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$776 R$3,955

$767 MX$13.0K

1.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 R$3,976

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

11.2

-4.73%

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

Last update for Macaé: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chapala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Macaé versus $605 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 $29.00 in Macaé versus $25.00 in Chapala. Groceries tell a different story – $163 in Macaé vs $228 in Chapala – so Macaé wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 33% more than Macaé, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,291 per month in Macaé and $1,715 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 $29.00 in Macaé and $25.00 in Chapala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Chapala, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Macaé, where all-in costs run around $861, than in Chapala at $1,143. In Macaé it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chapala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Macaé costs $861 versus $1,143 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.