Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Rarotonga: $1,099 a month against $1,661 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Rarotonga
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Rarotonga 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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Rarotonga

🇨🇰 Cook Islands

$1,099

/mo nomad

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rarotonga 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 Rarotonga and in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,099 per month in Rarotonga vs $1,661 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Rarotonga $1,099
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $1,661

A couple spends around $1,561 per month in Rarotonga vs $2,454 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Rarotonga $1,561
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $2,454

A family of three spends $2,023 per month in Rarotonga vs $3,248 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Rarotonga $2,023
Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur $3,248

Rarotonga is about 34% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Rarotonga sits 18% 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

$14.15 NZ$25.21

$10.31 MX$189

37.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 NZ$89.9

$50.6 MX$929

-0.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 NZ$10.14

$10.14 MX$186

-43.89%

Cappuccino

$3.48 NZ$6.19

$3.53 MX$64.8

-1.42%

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

$2.24 NZ$4.00

$1.49 MX$27.43

50.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 NZ$4.11

$0.99 MX$18.15

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 NZ$8.95

$2.51 MX$46.03

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 NZ$8.84

$4.47 MX$82.0

10.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.87 NZ$5.11

$1.77 MX$32.49

62.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 NZ$4.94

$3.18 MX$58.3

-12.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 MX$47.04

Eggs

$6.19 NZ$11.02

$2.35 MX$43.21

163.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 NZ$13.32

$11.62 MX$213

-35.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$186

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 MX$252

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$50.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$28.40

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 MX$29.24

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 MX$31.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 MX$23.09

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 MX$33.89

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 MX$50.9

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 NZ$19.92

$5.06 MX$92.9

120.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.23 NZ$20.01

$11.19 MX$205

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 NZ$6.21

$1.49 MX$27.37

133.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 NZ$9.06

$3.53 MX$64.8

43.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 NZ$4.99

$0.87 MX$15.98

221.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 MX$976

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.06 NZ$35.75

$4.37 MX$80.2

359.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.06 MX$56.1

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.02 NZ$60.6

$10.59 MX$194

221.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 NZ$3.10

$1.46 MX$26.78

19.18%

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

$11.2K NZ$20.0K

$21.5K MX$394.1K

-47.62%

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

$24.4K MX$448.0K

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

$100 NZ$179

$86.9 MX$1,595

15.60%

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

$47.47 NZ$84.6

$25.56 MX$469

85.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 NZ$185

$32.06 MX$589

223.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.89 MX$843

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.59 MX$562

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 MX$77.8

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

$231 MX$4,246

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,360 NZ$2,424

$8,373 MX$153.7K

-83.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 MX$1,335

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 MX$979

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 MX$1,785

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.5 MX$1,240

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 NZ$793

$1,197 MX$22.0K

-62.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 NZ$806

$758 MX$13.9K

-40.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 NZ$1,219

$2,543 MX$46.7K

-73.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 NZ$1,111

$1,215 MX$22.3K

-48.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,814 MX$70.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,196 MX$40.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,906 NZ$6,961

$756 MX$13.9K

416.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Rarotonga: October 5, 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

Rarotonga

$452 40.6%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$758 45.8% 67.7% $306

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rarotonga

$251 22.6%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$144 8.7% 42.5% $107

Eating Out

Rarotonga

$225 20.2%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$187 11.3% 17.1% $39

Groceries & Markets

Rarotonga

$154 * 13.8%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$304 18.4% 98.1% $151

Getting Around

Rarotonga

$31 * 2.8%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$76 4.6% 144% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Rarotonga

- * 0%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$54 3.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Rarotonga

- * 0%

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

$131 7.9%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Rarotonga 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 417% higher in Rarotonga, 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 $50.0 in Rarotonga versus $51.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $154 vs $304 – making Rarotonga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇰 Rarotonga

🇲🇽 Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

🕒 Local time

22:59 10:59 PM

01:59 1:59 AM

3 h ahead of Rarotonga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,373

202,694

💱 Currency

New Zealand Dollar NZD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 NZD = 0.561 USD

1 NZD = 0.5 EUR

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇿 New Zealand Dollar ($)

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 2 NZD (1 NZD = 0.5 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 NZD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rarotonga Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur 7,300 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Rarotonga
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

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

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,649 per month in Rarotonga 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 Rarotonga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Rarotonga and $51.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rarotonga, where all-in costs run around $1,099, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,661. In Rarotonga 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 Rarotonga – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Rarotonga. 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.