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 $1,435 per month in Tirana vs $1,714 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Tirana vs $2,584 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Tirana vs $3,454 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Tirana is about 16% 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 7%, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 ALL 975

$11.26 MX$198

6.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 ALL 4,734

$53.8 MX$943

7.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ALL 767

$9.77 MX$171

-3.79%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ALL 161

$3.48 MX$61.0

-43.10%

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

$1.84 ALL 150

$1.59 MX$27.80

15.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 ALL 75.8

$1.04 MX$18.23

-10.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ALL 238

$2.34 MX$41.06

24.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 ALL 331

$3.90 MX$68.4

4.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ALL 167

$1.84 MX$32.24

11.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ALL 89.5

$2.57 MX$45.16

-57.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ALL 182

$2.42 MX$42.49

-7.85%

Eggs

$3.97 ALL 324

$2.16 MX$37.83

83.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ALL 1,065

$9.25 MX$162

41.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.60 ALL 620

$9.48 MX$166

-19.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 ALL 1,298

$14.56 MX$255

9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ALL 143

$2.54 MX$44.58

-31.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 ALL 224

$1.48 MX$25.96

85.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ALL 161

$1.54 MX$27.08

27.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.77 MX$31.00

11.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.08 MX$19.01

21.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ALL 109

$1.63 MX$28.58

-17.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 ALL 122

$2.82 MX$49.48

-46.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ALL 59.8

$1.29 MX$22.64

-43.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ALL 337

$4.86 MX$85.3

-15.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.41 ALL 849

$11.59 MX$203

-10.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ALL 129

$1.23 MX$21.64

28.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ALL 177

$3.12 MX$54.7

-30.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.64

$0.83 MX$14.53

-40.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.09 ALL 1,556

$50.4 MX$883

-62.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ALL 292

$4.32 MX$75.8

-17.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.10 ALL 253

$2.66 MX$46.58

16.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.72 ALL 1,445

$10.48 MX$184

69.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 ALL 174

$1.31 MX$23.04

63.36%

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

$40.0K ALL 3.3M

$21.9K MX$383.9K

82.80%

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

$35.4K ALL 2.9M

$23.3K MX$408.5K

51.81%

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

$109 ALL 8,902

$82.9 MX$1,454

31.66%

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

$17.95 ALL 1,464

$23.78 MX$417

-24.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.17 ALL 1,482

$25.99 MX$456

-30.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 ALL 4,505

$44.32 MX$777

24.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.25 ALL 1,896

$15.84 MX$278

46.78%

Cinema Ticket

$9.51 ALL 775

$3.94 MX$69.2

141.37%

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

$286 ALL 23.3K

$131 MX$2,290

118.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,525 ALL 450.5K

$7,880 MX$138.2K

-29.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 ALL 5,538

$70.6 MX$1,238

-3.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 ALL 4,095

$50.5 MX$885

-0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 ALL 8,697

$90.6 MX$1,590

17.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ALL 10.6K

$64.2 MX$1,127

102.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$824 ALL 67.2K

$851 MX$14.9K

-3.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ALL 45.3K

$827 MX$14.5K

-32.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 ALL 119.9K

$2,218 MX$38.9K

-33.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 ALL 74.1K

$1,476 MX$25.9K

-38.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,308 ALL 351.4K

$3,843 MX$67.4K

12.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,148 ALL 175.1K

$2,197 MX$38.5K

-2.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$869 ALL 70.8K

$792 MX$13.9K

9.64%

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: July 11, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $824 in Tirana 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 10% 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 $58.0 in Tirana versus $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Groceries tell a different story – $279 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 19%, 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 $2,152 per month in Tirana 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 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 164% less in Tirana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $286 per month in Tirana 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tirana, where all-in costs run around $1,435, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,714. 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.