Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,669 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,562 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,455 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 22% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.17 MX$194

5.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$53.6 MX$930

-22.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.55 MX$165

11.41%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.38 MX$58.5

4.14%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.54 MX$26.72

-1.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.09 MX$18.95

-11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.42 MX$42.00

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$4.05 MX$70.1

9.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.84 MX$31.84

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.49 MX$43.21

-24.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.39 MX$41.45

-31.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.16 MX$37.47

16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.50 MX$165

-12.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.75 MX$169

-14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.48 MX$251

-25.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.57 MX$44.50

1.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.48 MX$25.67

-1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.51 MX$26.12

25.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.74 MX$30.08

19.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.07 MX$18.58

66.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.71 MX$29.60

28.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.82 MX$48.95

-63.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.25 MX$21.74

-13.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.73 MX$82.0

-13.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$11.60 MX$201

-11.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.19 MX$20.61

43.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.23 MX$56.0

-20.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.83 MX$14.36

-38.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$51.5 MX$892

-48.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$4.20 MX$72.8

-22.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.81 MX$48.65

-11.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$10.34 MX$179

-68.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.32 MX$22.95

-0.76%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$21.8K MX$377.4K

39.03%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$22.8K MX$395.8K

2.58%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$83.2 MX$1,442

-0.43%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$23.31 MX$404

-4.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$25.83 MX$448

13.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$43.93 MX$761

17.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.12 MX$279

13.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.89 MX$67.4

30.33%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$130 MX$2,259

54.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$7,781 MX$134.8K

-33.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$71.3 MX$1,236

-48.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$50.8 MX$879

-21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$91.4 MX$1,583

-14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$65.8 MX$1,140

32.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$846 MX$14.7K

14.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$826 MX$14.3K

-43.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,201 MX$38.1K

-25.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,482 MX$25.7K

-17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$3,853 MX$66.8K

2.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,199 MX$38.1K

195.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$805 MX$14.0K

-17.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.5

-0.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $846 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 21% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $287 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,504 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 95% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $130 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. In Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. 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.