Living in Los Cabos: Cost of Groceries

Well, I’ve got some grocery receipts ready, so let’s continue on the cost of living discussion. Remember, once you’re here for more than a vacation you won’t be eating out every single meal. That’s the biggest source of misconception about how affordable life in Cabo really is. It’s not that locals don’t eat out, just not EVERY meal. Yes, our prices are higher than on the mainland because of shipping costs but still quite affordable. So here goes with what I hope will be a representative sampling taken from our grocery bills for the past week (short the farmer’s market produce I posted over the weekend).

Our prices are in pesos per kilo; I will convert that to dollars per pound when possible just for the sake of comparison. I’m using today’s exchange rate of 14/1. And, I would love it if readers would chime in on how the prices compare to where they live.

Meats

Ground pork: $1.92 (as I recall ground beef was a bit higher but not much).

Baby Back Ribs: $2.53

Bacon: $2.44

Pate Cerdo (kind of like liverwurst): $1.64 per chub

Deli Ham: $4.04

Deli Turkey Breast: $3.94

(For chicken I mostly use the boneless, skinless breast from Costco, as memory serves the big bag costs somewhere around 100 pesos or about $7)

Fish and seafood, unless some lucky fisherperson gifts it to me, I buy only day of consumption but it’s quite, quite reasonable compared to the US. As I recall last time I bought jumbo shrimp he charged me about five bucks a pound which I thought was highway robbery).

Fresh produce other than Farmer’s Market

Jicama: 58 cents per pound

Broccoli: $1.15

Sweet Potato: 63 cents

Celery: 32 cents

Limes: 24 cents

Baby potatoes: 42 cents

Pinapple: 39 cents

Mango: 45 cents (now this was a splurge, first of the season, will be half that next week)

Avocado: 80 cents (on sale)

Apples: $1.29 (of course, they’re imported)

Eggs (large, brown, dozen): $1.84

Absolute Essentials!!!

Lindt 90% Cacao large size bar: $3.50 and worth every penny

Canned Goods and such:

Tuna: 81 cents

Dry Soup Mix: 43 cents

Soy oil (one liter): $2.00

Mayonaise: $2.00

Popping corn: 34 cents per pound

Rice: 57 cents per pound

Small corn: 46 cents

Small peas: 41 cents

Pedigree Dog Cookies: $1.17

Small Salsa Verde: 48 cents

Evaporated Milk: 81 cents

English Muffins: $2.82

Cleaning Supplies/Misc

Large skin lotion: $3.69

Laundry detergent (2 liter): $4.61

Bar Soap: 69 cents

Pledge: $3.31

Bleach (gallon): $1.20

Carol Billups is Broker/Owner of Cabo Realty Pros. She has enjoyed working with both buyers and sellers for over eleven years and still thinks hers is the best job on earth. She is also the real estate columnist for Los Cabos Magazine. You can read more of her articles on the website blog www.caborealtypros.com. You can reach her from the U.S. or Canada at 1-760-481-7694, or in Cabo at 044-624-147-7541. You can listen to our 24/7 broadcast on http://www.livecabo.net for a mix of happy music, weather reports and local information.

© 2012 Carol S. Billups