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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,413 per month in Tirana vs $1,669 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,176 per month in Tirana vs $2,562 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,939 per month in Tirana vs $3,455 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Tirana is about 15% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tirana and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sit above the global median – Tirana by 5%, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ALL 981

$11.17 MX$194

7.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 ALL 4,872

$53.6 MX$930

10.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.36 ALL 767

$9.55 MX$165

-1.99%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ALL 161

$3.38 MX$58.5

-42.01%

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

$1.81 ALL 148

$1.54 MX$26.72

17.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 ALL 77.0

$1.09 MX$18.95

-13.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.00 ALL 246

$2.42 MX$42.00

23.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 ALL 340

$4.05 MX$70.1

2.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 175

$1.84 MX$31.84

16.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ALL 89.7

$2.49 MX$43.21

-56.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ALL 178

$2.39 MX$41.45

-9.21%

Eggs

$3.87 ALL 317

$2.16 MX$37.47

79.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 ALL 1,073

$9.50 MX$165

37.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 ALL 618

$9.75 MX$169

-22.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.67 ALL 1,285

$14.48 MX$251

8.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ALL 139

$2.57 MX$44.50

-34.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.80 ALL 229

$1.48 MX$25.67

89.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ALL 166

$1.51 MX$26.12

34.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 ALL 159

$1.74 MX$30.08

11.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 ALL 112

$1.07 MX$18.58

27.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ALL 108

$1.71 MX$29.60

-22.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 ALL 120

$2.82 MX$48.95

-48.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.9

$1.25 MX$21.74

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 ALL 352

$4.73 MX$82.0

-9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.11 ALL 911

$11.60 MX$201

-4.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ALL 131

$1.19 MX$20.61

34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ALL 175

$3.23 MX$56.0

-34.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ALL 37.36

$0.83 MX$14.36

-44.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.09 ALL 1,565

$51.5 MX$892

-62.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ALL 292

$4.20 MX$72.8

-15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 ALL 256

$2.81 MX$48.65

11.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.96 ALL 1,472

$10.34 MX$179

73.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 ALL 171

$1.32 MX$22.95

57.58%

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

$40.3K ALL 3.3M

$21.8K MX$377.4K

85.00%

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

$36.2K ALL 3.0M

$22.8K MX$395.8K

58.56%

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

$105 ALL 8,611

$83.2 MX$1,442

26.17%

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

$17.92 ALL 1,470

$23.31 MX$404

-23.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.38 ALL 1,507

$25.83 MX$448

-28.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 ALL 4,431

$43.93 MX$761

23.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.31 ALL 1,912

$16.12 MX$279

44.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.31 ALL 763

$3.89 MX$67.4

139.33%

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

$288 ALL 23.6K

$130 MX$2,259

121.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,480 ALL 449.4K

$7,781 MX$134.8K

-29.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 ALL 5,548

$71.3 MX$1,236

-5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 ALL 4,210

$50.8 MX$879

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ALL 8,770

$91.4 MX$1,583

17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ALL 10.7K

$65.8 MX$1,140

98.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 ALL 68.3K

$846 MX$14.7K

-1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 ALL 44.3K

$826 MX$14.3K

-34.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 ALL 119.3K

$2,201 MX$38.1K

-33.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$896 ALL 73.5K

$1,482 MX$25.7K

-39.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,601 ALL 377.3K

$3,853 MX$66.8K

19.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,244 ALL 184.0K

$2,199 MX$38.1K

2.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$918 ALL 75.3K

$805 MX$14.0K

13.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

11.5

-52.00%

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

Last update for Tirana: June 2, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $833 in Tirana 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 14% higher in Tirana, 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 $59.0 in Tirana versus $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Groceries tell a different story – $280 in Tirana vs $287 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur – so Tirana 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

Tirana 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 Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,120 per month in Tirana 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 Tirana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 170% less in Tirana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $288 per month in Tirana 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 Tirana, where all-in costs run around $1,413, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. In Tirana 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 Tirana – 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 Tirana. 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.