Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Puerto la Cruz Cost of Living Comparison Between Ajijic and Puerto la Cruz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Ajijic vs $716 in Puerto la Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Ajijic vs $1,159 in Puerto la Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,696 per month in Ajijic vs $1,603 in Puerto la Cruz, rent included.

Ajijic costs about 65% more than Puerto la Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ajijic and Puerto la Cruz are more affordable than the global median – Ajijic 12% lower, Puerto la Cruz 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 MX$137

$7.35 VES 4,095

7.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.68 MX$600

$55.1 VES 30.7K

-37.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MX$118

$6.11 VES 3,402

11.29%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MX$58.0

$1.02 VES 569

228.43%

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

$1.07 MX$18.53

$0.69 VES 384

55.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MX$14.66

$0.52 VES 292

63.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 MX$31.55

$0.98 VES 547

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MX$54.5

$1.46 VES 815

115.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.44

$1.89 VES 1,052

-28.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 MX$39.33

$2.71 VES 1,510

-16.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 MX$18.69

$1.47 VES 819

-26.53%

Eggs

$2.00 MX$34.58

$2.79 VES 1,554

-28.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$9.93 VES 5,535

-18.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 MX$125

$7.32 VES 4,079

-1.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 MX$118

$7.36 VES 4,104

-7.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.31

$5.18 VES 2,885

-58.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.41

$1.82 VES 1,013

-51.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 MX$15.77

$2.28 VES 1,273

-60.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.44

$1.98 VES 1,103

-28.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$2.56 VES 1,424

-46.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MX$17.98

$2.16 VES 1,205

-51.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 MX$14.99

$1.31 VES 729

-33.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.28

$1.87 VES 1,041

-55.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$70.4

$3.89 VES 2,170

4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 MX$161

$7.84 VES 4,368

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.24

$1.46 VES 815

-4.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.05

$1.96 VES 1,091

-14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.56

$0.24 VES 133

154.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 MX$18.85

$3.04 VES 1,694

-64.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 MX$27.38

$2.77 VES 1,544

-42.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 MX$55.1

$5.02 VES 2,797

-36.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.49 VES 271

167.35%

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

$18.8K MX$324.7K

$25.3K VES 14.1M

-25.93%

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

$18.9K MX$326.6K

$39.3K VES 21.9M

-51.92%

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

$44.74 MX$774

$20.59 VES 11.5K

117.29%

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

$16.21 MX$280

$10.07 VES 5,613

60.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 MX$442

$25.12 VES 14.0K

1.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.01 MX$415

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 MX$90.7

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$74.2

$5.86 VES 3,264

-26.79%

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

$179 MX$3,095

$60.2 VES 33.5K

197.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,654 MX$45.9K

$5,418 VES 3.0M

-51.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.62 MX$720

$45.11 VES 25.1K

-7.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.17 MX$280

$37.43 VES 20.9K

-56.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 MX$1,128

$44.15 VES 24.6K

47.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.1 MX$935

$40.16 VES 22.4K

34.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 MX$14.0K

$180 VES 100.2K

351.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 MX$10.9K

$186 VES 103.8K

239.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 MX$27.6K

$443 VES 246.7K

260.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 MX$24.2K

$198 VES 110.4K

607.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,248 MX$56.2K

$522 VES 290.9K

522.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,742 MX$30.1K

$302 VES 168.4K

476.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 MX$10.1K

$221 VES 123.2K

163.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

21.33

-47.30%

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

Last update for Ajijic: June 2, 2026

Last update for Puerto la Cruz: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Ajijic versus $180 in Puerto la Cruz. 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 164% higher in Ajijic, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ajijic versus $55.0 in Puerto la Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $274 – making Ajijic the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ajijic vs Puerto la Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajijic is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,773 per month in Ajijic and $1,074 in Puerto la Cruz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto la Cruz, 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 $1,182 in Ajijic and $716 in Puerto la Cruz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Ajijic and $60.2 in Puerto la Cruz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto la Cruz, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Ajijic at $1,182. In Puerto la Cruz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto la Cruz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Puerto la Cruz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ajijic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.