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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,714 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $2,584 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $3,454 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Mexico City is about 15% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Mexico City and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$11.26 MX$198

16.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

-0.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$9.77 MX$171

-0.92%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$3.48 MX$61.0

7.47%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$1.59 MX$27.80

1.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$1.04 MX$18.23

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.34 MX$41.06

38.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$3.90 MX$68.4

21.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.84 MX$32.24

-10.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$2.57 MX$45.16

7.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$2.42 MX$42.49

-22.73%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.16 MX$37.83

15.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.25 MX$162

10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$9.48 MX$166

-12.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$14.56 MX$255

-18.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.54 MX$44.58

18.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.48 MX$25.96

22.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.54 MX$27.08

29.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.77 MX$31.00

12.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.08 MX$19.01

92.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.63 MX$28.58

39.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$2.82 MX$49.48

-48.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.29 MX$22.64

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$4.86 MX$85.3

-10.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$11.59 MX$203

46.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.23 MX$21.64

40.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$3.12 MX$54.7

14.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.83 MX$14.53

-53.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$50.4 MX$883

-62.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$4.32 MX$75.8

-69.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$2.66 MX$46.58

-89.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$10.48 MX$184

-49.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$1.31 MX$23.04

2.29%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$21.9K MX$383.9K

-11.32%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$23.3K MX$408.5K

2.32%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$82.9 MX$1,454

-50.92%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$23.78 MX$417

12.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$25.99 MX$456

17.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$44.32 MX$777

19.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$15.84 MX$278

68.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.94 MX$69.2

65.23%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$131 MX$2,290

227.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$7,880 MX$138.2K

33.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$70.6 MX$1,238

-18.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$50.5 MX$885

-9.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$90.6 MX$1,590

14.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$64.2 MX$1,127

67.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$851 MX$14.9K

17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$827 MX$14.5K

-24.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$2,218 MX$38.9K

-4.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$1,476 MX$25.9K

-17.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$3,843 MX$67.4K

1.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$2,197 MX$38.5K

-7.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$792 MX$13.9K

31.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

11.5

-1.39%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $851 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 31% higher in Mexico City, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Mexico City vs $287 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur – so Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 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

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

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $2,571 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 Mexico City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $131 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 Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,456, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,714. In Mexico City 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 Mexico City – 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 Mexico City. 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.