🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,088 in San Fernando versus $1,157 in Guadalajara.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,738 in San Fernando versus $1,844 in Guadalajara.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,387 in San Fernando versus $2,530 in Guadalajara.
🙂Living in San Fernando costs roughly 6% less than in Guadalajara, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: San Fernando19% lower, Guadalajara14% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Fernando
Guadalajara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62MX$185
$10.46MX$183
1.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.11MX$683
$38.85MX$679
0.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.97MX$139
$7.99MX$140
-0.25%
Cappuccino
$3.25MX$56.7
$3.19MX$55.7
1.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24MX$21.65
$1.38MX$24.18
-10.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89MX$15.62
$0.93MX$16.28
-4.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.31MX$40.42
$2.10MX$36.74
10.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86MX$67.5
$3.89MX$67.9
-0.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Fernando
Guadalajara
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48MX$25.88
$1.40MX$24.48
5.71%
White Bread(500g)
$2.54MX$44.35
$2.65MX$46.20
-4.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$28.06
$1.66MX$29.08
-3.01%
Eggs
$2.37MX$41.47
$2.51MX$43.86
-5.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.87MX$137
$9.63MX$168
-18.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.02MX$140
$7.67MX$134
4.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.71MX$187
$10.37MX$181
3.28%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.28
$2.65MX$46.21
-
Banana(1kg)
$1.44MX$25.19
$1.45MX$25.41
-0.69%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.70MX$29.69
$1.80MX$31.50
-5.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.65MX$28.81
$1.56MX$27.32
5.77%
Potato(1kg)
$1.91MX$33.39
$1.80MX$31.42
6.11%
Onion(1kg)
$2.02MX$35.20
$2.01MX$35.07
0.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.25MX$21.82
$1.34MX$23.35
-6.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98MX$17.12
$1.08MX$18.79
-9.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08MX$71.2
$4.40MX$76.8
-7.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.27MX$214
$11.22MX$196
9.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56MX$27.17
$1.62MX$28.27
-3.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86MX$49.87
$3.22MX$56.3
-11.18%
🚌 Getting Around
San Fernando
Guadalajara
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.61MX$10.58
$0.52MX$9.01
17.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.91MX$470
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.64MX$46.07
$2.71MX$47.31
-2.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.58MX$27.64
$1.59MX$27.85
-0.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.20MX$143
$11.68MX$204
-29.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31MX$22.90
$1.32MX$23.05
-0.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2KMX$369.8K
$24.2KMX$422.2K
-12.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4KMX$391.8K
$23.7KMX$413.6K
-5.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Fernando
Guadalajara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$56.6MX$988
$31.32MX$547
80.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.95MX$383
$24.53MX$428
-10.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.20MX$493
$27.53MX$481
2.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Fernando
Guadalajara
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.10MX$631
$33.01MX$576
9.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.62MX$273
$19.54MX$341
-20.06%
Cinema Ticket
$4.74MX$82.7
$5.03MX$87.9
-5.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Fernando
Guadalajara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$202MX$3,536
$187MX$3,260
8.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,590MX$62.7K
$6,425MX$112.2K
-44.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Fernando
Guadalajara
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.0MX$925
$49.73MX$869
6.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.95MX$698
$50.8MX$886
-21.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.4MX$1,578
$98.5MX$1,720
-8.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.2MX$1,382
$90.9MX$1,587
-12.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Fernando
Guadalajara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$516MX$9,004
$706MX$12.3K
-27.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$395MX$6,898
$438MX$7,649
-9.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$944MX$16.5K
$1,355MX$23.7K
-30.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$755MX$13.2K
$842MX$14.7K
-10.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,967MX$34.4K
$3,208MX$56.0K
-38.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,274MX$22.3K
$1,998MX$34.9K
-36.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Fernando
Guadalajara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$797MX$13.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.48
11.48
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for San Fernando: June 1, 2026
Last update for Guadalajara: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in San Fernando and $706 in Guadalajara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $39.00 in San Fernando vs $39.00 in Guadalajara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $257 per month, with San Fernando cheaper across the board.
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
San Fernando vs Guadalajara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, San Fernando or Guadalajara?
San Fernando wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Guadalajara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Fernando the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in San Fernando vs Guadalajara?
You'd need roughly $1,632 in San Fernando and $1,736 in Guadalajara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in San Fernando vs Guadalajara?
Rent for a central apartment: $516 in San Fernando versus $706 in Guadalajara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in San Fernando and Guadalajara?
Childcare runs $202 in San Fernando versus $187 in Guadalajara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in San Fernando vs Guadalajara?
Dining out is cheaper in San Fernando – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $39.00 in Guadalajara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in San Fernando or Guadalajara?
At $1,088 in San Fernando versus $1,157 in Guadalajara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando but tight or insufficient in Guadalajara. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, San Fernando or Guadalajara?
Both work as nomad bases, but San Fernando delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,088 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Fernando hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find San Fernando gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Guadalajara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
San Fernando vs other spots: cost of living compared