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 $1,388 per month in Tirana vs $1,746 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,245 per month in Tirana vs $2,612 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,102 per month in Tirana vs $3,478 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Tirana is about 20% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tirana and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sit above the global median – Tirana by 1%, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 ALL 780

$11.27 MX$190

-12.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 ALL 4,279

$52.0 MX$878

4.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 ALL 907

$9.92 MX$168

15.63%

Cappuccino

$2.38 ALL 188

$3.53 MX$59.7

-32.58%

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

$2.43 ALL 192

$1.54 MX$26.03

57.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ALL 101

$1.04 MX$17.62

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 ALL 287

$2.69 MX$45.54

34.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 ALL 336

$4.68 MX$79.1

-9.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 ALL 181

$1.87 MX$31.68

22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ALL 97.6

$3.27 MX$55.3

-62.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 ALL 199

$2.64 MX$44.59

-4.92%

Eggs

$3.74 ALL 296

$2.46 MX$41.63

52.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.61 ALL 1,076

$12.73 MX$215

6.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 ALL 726

$10.65 MX$180

-13.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.05 ALL 1,348

$14.62 MX$247

16.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 154

$2.82 MX$47.58

-30.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 ALL 195

$1.62 MX$27.45

52.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ALL 172

$1.71 MX$28.87

27.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ALL 155

$1.82 MX$30.74

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 ALL 81.5

$1.34 MX$22.71

-23.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 ALL 102

$2.03 MX$34.31

-36.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ALL 112

$2.99 MX$50.5

-52.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 64.8

$1.29 MX$21.83

-36.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.78 ALL 378

$5.20 MX$87.9

-8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 ALL 879

$11.99 MX$203

-7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ALL 139

$1.60 MX$27.06

9.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ALL 165

$3.73 MX$63.0

-43.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ALL 40.78

$0.99 MX$16.65

-47.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.76 ALL 1,562

$55.5 MX$937

-64.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ALL 294

$4.68 MX$79.0

-20.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.74 ALL 296

$3.36 MX$56.7

11.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.72 ALL 1,480

$11.51 MX$194

62.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.40 ALL 190

$1.59 MX$26.82

50.94%

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

$34.4K ALL 2.7M

$22.5K MX$380.6K

52.69%

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

$36.5K ALL 2.9M

$25.4K MX$429.7K

43.62%

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

$105 ALL 8,276

$89.6 MX$1,514

16.84%

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

$19.40 ALL 1,534

$27.14 MX$459

-28.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.12 ALL 1,669

$33.74 MX$570

-37.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 ALL 4,577

$49.06 MX$829

18.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 ALL 1,451

$30.14 MX$509

-39.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.24 ALL 810

$4.50 MX$76.1

127.56%

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

$351 ALL 27.8K

$253 MX$4,277

38.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,286 ALL 655.0K

$8,964 MX$151.5K

-7.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 ALL 5,789

$77.0 MX$1,301

-4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.68 ALL 3,769

$55.7 MX$941

-14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 ALL 9,564

$101 MX$1,704

19.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ALL 9,103

$72.6 MX$1,227

58.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 ALL 67.5K

$1,224 MX$20.7K

-30.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 ALL 39.9K

$793 MX$13.4K

-36.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,546 ALL 122.2K

$2,590 MX$43.8K

-40.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 ALL 75.4K

$1,251 MX$21.1K

-23.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,504 ALL 356.0K

$3,864 MX$65.3K

16.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,151 ALL 170.1K

$2,174 MX$36.7K

-1.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$899 ALL 71.1K

$806 MX$13.6K

11.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.64

11.6

-51.38%

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

Last update for Tirana: August 30, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $854 in Tirana versus $1,224 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 12% 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 $54.0 in Tirana versus $52.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Tirana vs $322 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 26%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,082 per month in Tirana and $2,618 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 181% less in Tirana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $351 per month in Tirana and $253 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 $1,388, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. 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.