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 $1,190 per month in Ajijic vs $736 in Puerto la Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,926 per month in Ajijic vs $1,167 in Puerto la Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,662 per month in Ajijic vs $1,598 in Puerto la Cruz, rent included.

Ajijic costs about 62% more than Puerto la Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ajijic and Puerto la Cruz are more affordable than the global median – Ajijic 11% lower, Puerto la Cruz 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.75 MX$136

$7.30 VES 5,335

6.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.05 MX$595

$54.7 VES 39.9K

-37.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 MX$121

$5.98 VES 4,370

15.89%

Cappuccino

$3.26 MX$57.0

$0.98 VES 718

232.65%

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

$1.07 MX$18.73

$0.67 VES 486

59.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$14.17

$0.48 VES 347

68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 MX$33.02

$1.02 VES 748

85.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$1.48 VES 1,081

118.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.48

$1.88 VES 1,371

-28.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$39.38

$2.78 VES 2,028

-19.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 MX$18.23

$1.49 VES 1,090

-30.20%

Eggs

$1.97 MX$34.45

$2.78 VES 2,030

-29.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 MX$141

$10.07 VES 7,355

-20.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 MX$128

$7.42 VES 5,424

-0.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.02 MX$123

$7.30 VES 5,337

-3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 MX$39.09

$5.11 VES 3,734

-56.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 MX$15.83

$1.87 VES 1,366

-51.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MX$14.50

$2.21 VES 1,615

-62.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MX$25.76

$2.06 VES 1,506

-28.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.56

$2.69 VES 1,962

-47.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MX$17.55

$2.06 VES 1,507

-51.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MX$16.71

$1.36 VES 995

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$14.16

$1.95 VES 1,421

-58.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MX$72.9

$4.05 VES 2,961

2.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 MX$159

$7.86 VES 5,746

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 MX$23.95

$1.51 VES 1,106

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$28.32

$2.03 VES 1,484

-20.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.74

$0.26 VES 191

134.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 MX$18.13

$2.91 VES 2,127

-64.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 MX$26.77

$2.63 VES 1,922

-41.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.9

$4.88 VES 3,566

-35.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.96

$0.51 VES 375

156.86%

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

$18.7K MX$327.4K

$25.0K VES 18.2M

-25.00%

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

$18.4K MX$321.3K

$40.2K VES 29.3M

-54.25%

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

$44.83 MX$784

$19.95 VES 14.6K

124.71%

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

$16.23 MX$284

$9.99 VES 7,297

62.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.61 MX$448

$24.89 VES 18.2K

2.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.83 MX$417

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.26 MX$92.0

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 MX$75.9

$6.14 VES 4,487

-29.32%

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

$181 MX$3,169

$59.5 VES 43.5K

204.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,633 MX$46.0K

$5,486 VES 4.0M

-52.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.94 MX$751

$44.87 VES 32.8K

-4.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.18 MX$283

$37.37 VES 27.3K

-56.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 MX$1,178

$44.74 VES 32.7K

50.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 MX$965

$39.99 VES 29.2K

38.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 MX$14.3K

$178 VES 130.3K

358.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 MX$11.1K

$186 VES 136.1K

241.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 MX$27.8K

$441 VES 322.2K

259.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 MX$24.2K

$199 VES 145.5K

595.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,254 MX$56.9K

$513 VES 374.9K

534.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,758 MX$30.7K

$310 VES 226.6K

466.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 MX$10.2K

$229 VES 167.4K

155.83%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Puerto la Cruz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $817 in Ajijic versus $178 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 156% 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 $34.00 in Ajijic versus $55.0 in Puerto la Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $277 – 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 62%, 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 $1,784 per month in Ajijic and $1,103 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 $1,190 in Ajijic and $736 in Puerto la Cruz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $181 per month in Ajijic and $59.5 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 $736, than in Ajijic at $1,190. 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.