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 $1,333 per month in Ajijic vs $756 in Puerto la Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,132 per month in Ajijic vs $1,318 in Puerto la Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,932 per month in Ajijic vs $1,880 in Puerto la Cruz, rent included.

Ajijic costs about 76% more than Puerto la Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ajijic and Puerto la Cruz are more affordable than the global median – Ajijic 3% lower, Puerto la Cruz 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 MX$172

$9.81 VES 7,816

3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.85 MX$813

$60.2 VES 47.9K

-20.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 MX$130

$7.40 VES 5,895

3.11%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$64.7

$3.40 VES 2,710

12.06%

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

$1.78 MX$30.18

$0.67 VES 530

165.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$21.52

$0.45 VES 361

182.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MX$39.31

$1.23 VES 983

87.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 MX$60.3

$1.48 VES 1,181

139.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$25.89

$2.01 VES 1,604

-24.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 MX$39.16

$1.17 VES 935

96.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MX$20.41

$1.21 VES 964

-0.83%

Eggs

$2.45 MX$41.56

$2.39 VES 1,901

2.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$143

$6.97 VES 5,553

21.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 MX$154

$9.17 VES 7,299

-1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.71 MX$131

$10.87 VES 8,658

-29.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 MX$41.04

$7.18 VES 5,718

-66.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$23.35

$1.33 VES 1,063

3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 MX$27.94

$0.48 VES 381

241.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.84

$2.24 VES 1,786

-16.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 MX$28.29

$2.17 VES 1,724

-23.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.66

$2.24 VES 1,785

-35.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MX$18.83

$1.57 VES 1,250

-29.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.28

$1.62 VES 1,290

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.81 MX$81.7

$4.09 VES 3,259

17.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.38 MX$159

$8.16 VES 6,495

14.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$28.97

$0.98 VES 782

74.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MX$24.13

$1.53 VES 1,220

-7.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MX$12.59

$0.36 VES 289

105.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.58 VES 24.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 MX$21.88

$2.98 VES 2,374

-56.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.66 MX$79.2

$2.77 VES 2,203

68.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.74 MX$200

$10.12 VES 8,058

16.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.69

$0.51 VES 410

207.84%

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

$22.5K MX$382.3K

$25.4K VES 20.2M

-11.35%

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

$26.4K MX$448.1K

$38.3K VES 30.5M

-31.16%

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

$59.6 MX$1,013

$23.90 VES 19.0K

149.33%

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

$15.41 MX$262

$10.10 VES 8,044

52.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.44 MX$449

$27.33 VES 21.8K

-3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.84 MX$456

$29.90 VES 23.8K

-10.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.87 MX$99.7

$24.61 VES 19.6K

-76.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 MX$89.9

$5.15 VES 4,101

2.72%

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

$227 MX$3,860

$59.3 VES 47.2K

283.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,105 MX$52.8K

$2,979 VES 2.4M

4.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.39 MX$805

$47.28 VES 37.7K

0.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.00 MX$306

$34.46 VES 27.4K

-47.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MX$1,234

$45.35 VES 36.1K

60.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 MX$1,273

$46.89 VES 37.3K

59.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 MX$15.3K

$152 VES 121.0K

494.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 MX$11.4K

$94.8 VES 75.5K

605.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 MX$27.4K

$311 VES 247.9K

417.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,305 MX$22.2K

$200 VES 158.9K

553.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,302 MX$56.1K

$516 VES 411.3K

539.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,729 MX$29.4K

$303 VES 241.3K

470.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 MX$10.2K

$224 VES 178.2K

167.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.2

-25.33%

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

Last update for Ajijic: August 30, 2026

Last update for Puerto la Cruz: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Ajijic versus $152 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 167% 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 $48.00 in Ajijic versus $60.0 in Puerto la Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $264 – 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 76%, 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 $1,999 per month in Ajijic and $1,134 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 $1,333 in Ajijic and $756 in Puerto la Cruz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $227 per month in Ajijic and $59.3 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 $756, than in Ajijic at $1,333. 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.