Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Puerto Escondido Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Puerto Escondido

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $955 per month in Acapulco vs $1,119 in Puerto Escondido, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Acapulco vs $1,772 in Puerto Escondido, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,965 per month in Acapulco vs $2,424 in Puerto Escondido, rent included.

Acapulco is about 15% cheaper than Puerto Escondido, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Acapulco and Puerto Escondido are more affordable than the global median – Acapulco 29% lower, Puerto Escondido 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 MX$187

$9.27 MX$161

16.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.02 MX$555

$39.44 MX$683

-18.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 MX$197

$7.76 MX$134

46.13%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$65.1

$3.31 MX$57.4

13.60%

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

$1.82 MX$31.55

$1.29 MX$22.29

41.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.74

$0.97 MX$16.85

58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MX$44.59

$2.59 MX$44.87

-0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.1

$3.99 MX$69.1

18.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.96

$1.46 MX$25.30

6.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 MX$55.2

$2.68 MX$46.41

19.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.87

$1.08 MX$18.78

43.52%

Eggs

$1.74 MX$30.21

$1.92 MX$33.35

-9.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 MX$108

$8.11 MX$140

-23.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 MX$141

$7.92 MX$137

2.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 MX$187

$11.77 MX$204

-8.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 MX$78.5

$2.69 MX$46.67

68.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.12

$1.05 MX$18.11

60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 MX$55.3

$1.78 MX$30.91

79.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.70 MX$29.45

83.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 MX$59.6

$2.15 MX$37.32

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.77

$2.60 MX$45.03

10.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.71

$1.16 MX$20.15

7.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$13.44

$0.99 MX$17.14

-21.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 MX$135

$5.03 MX$87.2

55.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 MX$122

$10.80 MX$187

-34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.23 MX$38.64

-53.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.45

$2.85 MX$49.44

-8.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.69

$0.69 MX$12.03

5.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$2.54 MX$44.01

68.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.73

$1.55 MX$26.78

-0.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 MX$145

$8.26 MX$143

1.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.77

$1.32 MX$22.85

-4.55%

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

$21.0K MX$363.3K

$21.3K MX$369.7K

-1.71%

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

$22.1K MX$383.3K

$22.4K MX$388.6K

-1.38%

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

$38.89 MX$674

$56.0 MX$971

-30.58%

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

$22.51 MX$390

$22.46 MX$389

0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 MX$362

$55.5 MX$961

-62.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.76 MX$325

$21.09 MX$365

-11.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 MX$229

$10.77 MX$187

22.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 MX$62.8

$4.58 MX$79.3

-20.96%

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

$156 MX$2,711

$160 MX$2,780

-2.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$61.8K

$3,654 MX$63.3K

-2.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MX$1,107

$52.1 MX$902

22.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 MX$727

$40.38 MX$700

3.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,830

$91.3 MX$1,583

15.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MX$1,392

$79.6 MX$1,379

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MX$8,764

$395 MX$6,854

27.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 MX$4,216

$390 MX$6,754

-37.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$15.9K

$920 MX$15.9K

-0.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 MX$4,310

$754 MX$13.1K

-67.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,100 MX$36.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,165 MX$20.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 MX$8,428

$340 MX$5,886

43.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

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

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Last update for Puerto Escondido: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Acapulco versus $395 in Puerto Escondido. 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 43% higher in Acapulco, 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 $32.00 in Acapulco versus $39.00 in Puerto Escondido. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Acapulco vs $255 in Puerto Escondido – so Puerto Escondido 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

Acapulco vs Puerto Escondido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Escondido costs about 17% more than Acapulco, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,433 per month in Acapulco and $1,679 in Puerto Escondido. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acapulco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $955 in Acapulco and $1,119 in Puerto Escondido. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Acapulco and $160 in Puerto Escondido. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Puerto Escondido at $1,119. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Escondido it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $955 versus $1,119 in Puerto Escondido. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Acapulco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Puerto Escondido makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.