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 $1,755 per month in Dili vs $1,053 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,648 per month in Dili vs $1,659 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Dili vs $2,265 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

Dili costs about 67% more than Puerto Penasco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dili sits 31% above the global median, while Puerto Penasco is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.03 $5.03

$11.52 MX$201

-56.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.57 $44.57

$42.89 MX$747

3.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 $7.92

$16.86 MX$294

-53.02%

Cappuccino

$3.79 $3.79

$4.71 MX$82.0

-19.53%

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

$1.54 $1.54

$1.37 MX$23.89

12.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.04 MX$18.17

33.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.49 MX$60.8

-43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.97 MX$86.5

-12.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.56 MX$27.23

59.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.90 MX$50.4

-13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.99 MX$17.22

98.99%

Eggs

$2.74 $2.74

$2.83 MX$49.26

-3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$4.78 MX$83.2

-58.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 $9.58

$10.07 MX$175

-4.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 $16.07

$9.33 MX$162

72.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$4.06 MX$70.7

-11.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.88 MX$32.78

-5.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.89 MX$50.3

-30.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.93 MX$33.52

26.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.93 MX$33.69

2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.93 MX$33.66

-33.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.29 MX$22.54

-20.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.45 MX$25.33

-29.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.31 MX$75.0

-37.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.10 $12.10

$14.54 MX$253

-16.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.53 MX$26.68

43.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.48 MX$25.73

92.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 $0.26

$0.60 MX$10.51

-56.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.07 MX$36.04

65.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.62 MX$45.66

26.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.29 $20.29

$8.33 MX$145

143.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.35 MX$23.49

11.11%

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

$21.4K MX$373.4K

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

$22.4K MX$390.0K

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

$150 $150

$31.97 MX$557

367.81%

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

$29.47 $29.47

$10.39 MX$181

183.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 $50.6

$31.78 MX$553

59.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 $50.8

$31.99 MX$557

58.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.07 $3.07

$16.06 MX$280

-80.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 $5.57

$2.62 MX$45.65

112.60%

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

$209 MX$3,642

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$3,576 MX$62.3K

340.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 $60.9

$43.03 MX$749

41.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.51 $29.51

$26.16 MX$456

12.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 $79.0

$64.1 MX$1,116

23.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 $60.6

$64.7 MX$1,126

-6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 $1,117

$494 MX$8,606

126.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 $941

$317 MX$5,528

196.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,486 $3,486

$916 MX$15.9K

280.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 $1,651

$533 MX$9,288

209.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,629 MX$28.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,275 MX$22.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,612 $3,612

$601 MX$10.5K

500.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.37

9.5

-43.47%

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

Last update for Dili: July 11, 2026

Last update for Puerto Penasco: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Dili versus $494 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 501% 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 $45.00 in Dili versus $43.00 in Puerto Penasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $277 – making Puerto Penasco 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 67%, 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 $2,633 per month in Dili and $1,579 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.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Dili, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Dili and $43.00 in Puerto Penasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Penasco, where all-in costs run around $1,053, than in Dili at $1,755. 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.