Cost of Living Comparison Between Dili and Puerto Penasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Dili and Puerto Penasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,553 per month in Dili vs $1,304 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,403 per month in Dili vs $2,091 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,252 per month in Dili vs $2,878 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

Dili costs about 19% more than Puerto Penasco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dili sits 13% above the global median, while Puerto Penasco is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 $4.88

$12.85 MX$218

-62.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.79 $41.79

$46.42 MX$786

-9.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 $8.08

$9.28 MX$157

-12.93%

Cappuccino

$4.24 $4.24

$5.07 MX$85.9

-16.37%

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

$1.64 $1.64

$1.52 MX$25.70

7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.11 MX$18.74

111.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.97 MX$50.4

-16.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.51 MX$76.4

0.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.76 MX$29.79

30.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 $2.50

$3.27 MX$55.4

-23.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.80 MX$30.51

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.62 $2.62

$3.22 MX$54.6

-18.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$5.45 MX$92.3

-62.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$11.16 MX$189

-13.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$10.43 MX$177

56.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$4.52 MX$76.6

-28.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.09 MX$35.44

-10.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.26 MX$55.3

-21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.25 MX$38.20

0.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.13 MX$36.16

-41.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.26 MX$38.34

-49.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.46 MX$24.75

-36.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.64 MX$27.76

-40.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 $2.95

$4.83 MX$81.9

-38.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 $11.95

$14.77 MX$250

-19.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.69 MX$28.71

36.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.58 MX$26.70

81.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.78 MX$13.16

-69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 $29.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.32 MX$39.27

55.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.32 MX$56.2

12.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 $19.73

$12.76 MX$216

54.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.51 MX$25.62

-1.32%

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

$18.3K $18.3K

$21.4K MX$362.6K

-14.43%

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

$17.2K $17.2K

$22.5K MX$380.6K

-23.28%

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

$150 $150

$75.6 MX$1,280

99.09%

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

$27.04 $27.04

$13.79 MX$234

96.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.53 MX$771

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.22 $49.22

$34.67 MX$587

41.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.15 MX$358

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 $6.07

$5.74 MX$97.3

5.75%

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

$1,520 $1,520

$220 MX$3,724

591.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$4,290 MX$72.7K

267.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 $60.1

$58.4 MX$990

2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.47 $29.47

$44.34 MX$751

-33.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$107 MX$1,810

-23.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.1 $61.1

$93.4 MX$1,583

-34.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$824 $824

$562 MX$9,519

46.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 $755

$416 MX$7,041

81.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,681 $2,681

$1,015 MX$17.2K

164.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,499 $1,499

$810 MX$13.7K

85.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 MX$30.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,054 MX$17.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,634 $3,634

$631 MX$10.7K

475.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

10.55

-49.10%

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

Last update for Dili: August 31, 2026

Last update for Puerto Penasco: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $824 in Dili versus $562 in Puerto Penasco. 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 476% higher in Dili, 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 $42.00 in Dili versus $46.00 in Puerto Penasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $311 – making Dili 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

Dili vs Puerto Penasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Dili is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,330 per month in Dili and $1,955 in Puerto Penasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Dili and $46.00 in Puerto Penasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Dili – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Penasco, where all-in costs run around $1,304, than in Dili at $1,553. In Puerto Penasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dili it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Penasco – 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 Penasco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dili makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.