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 $1,803 per month in Dili vs $1,047 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,617 per month in Dili vs $1,636 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,431 per month in Dili vs $2,224 in Puerto Penasco, rent included.

Dili costs about 72% more than Puerto Penasco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dili sits 35% above the global median, while Puerto Penasco is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 $4.97

$11.57 MX$201

-57.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.25 $44.25

$41.82 MX$725

5.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 $8.01

$17.24 MX$299

-53.54%

Cappuccino

$3.81 $3.81

$4.63 MX$80.3

-17.71%

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

$1.55 $1.55

$1.38 MX$23.88

12.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.00 MX$17.41

39.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.46 MX$60.0

-43.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.06 MX$87.7

-9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.49 MX$25.90

68.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.06 MX$53.1

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.97 MX$16.89

112.37%

Eggs

$2.65 $2.65

$2.79 MX$48.42

-5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$4.79 MX$83.0

-56.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$10.26 MX$178

-5.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 $15.98

$9.41 MX$163

69.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.04 MX$70.0

-14.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.82 MX$31.57

2.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.94 MX$50.9

-30.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.04 MX$35.29

24.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.97 MX$34.21

4.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.93 MX$33.36

-34.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.36 MX$23.53

-27.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.51 MX$26.13

-32.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 $2.71

$4.42 MX$76.6

-38.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.96 $11.96

$14.43 MX$250

-17.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.58 MX$27.30

44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.41 MX$24.44

104.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.64 MX$11.14

-62.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.16 MX$37.38

62.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.71 MX$46.90

21.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.90 $19.90

$8.22 MX$142

142.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.30 MX$22.58

17.69%

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

$21.5K MX$373.0K

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

$22.3K MX$385.6K

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

$153 $153

$32.19 MX$558

374.22%

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

$29.62 $29.62

$10.45 MX$181

183.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.27 $49.27

$31.42 MX$544

56.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.44 $49.44

$32.22 MX$558

53.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.07 $3.07

$16.02 MX$278

-80.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 $5.60

$2.67 MX$46.26

109.74%

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

$203 MX$3,509

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$3,537 MX$61.3K

349.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 $59.6

$41.64 MX$722

43.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.93 $29.93

$26.28 MX$455

13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 $81.0

$62.2 MX$1,078

30.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 $58.8

$64.2 MX$1,113

-8.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 $1,096

$509 MX$8,822

115.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 $918

$322 MX$5,584

184.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,494 $3,494

$884 MX$15.3K

295.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 $1,699

$525 MX$9,096

223.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,828 MX$31.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,294 MX$22.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,561 $3,561

$611 MX$10.6K

482.93%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Puerto Penasco: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,096 in Dili versus $509 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 483% 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 $44.00 in Dili versus $42.00 in Puerto Penasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $280 – 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 72%, 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 $2,705 per month in Dili and $1,571 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 2% 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 $44.00 in Dili and $42.00 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 $1,047, than in Dili at $1,803. 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.