Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Vallarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Puerto Vallarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,762 in Puerto Vallarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,727 in Puerto Vallarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,691 in Puerto Vallarta, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Puerto Vallarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Puerto Vallarta sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Puerto Vallarta by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$14.50 MX$246

-44.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.3K

$61.5 MX$1,045

-21.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$11.54 MX$196

-15.34%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,185

$4.42 MX$75.2

-34.16%

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

$1.94 COP 6,134

$2.04 MX$34.69

-4.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,801

$1.51 MX$25.70

0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,759

$3.28 MX$55.8

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$4.67 MX$79.4

22.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,304

$1.99 MX$33.78

-31.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,534

$3.68 MX$62.5

-35.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,366

$2.25 MX$38.23

-24.44%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,056

$2.51 MX$42.68

14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.4K

$10.16 MX$173

-2.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$12.55 MX$213

-14.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.5K

$18.61 MX$316

-20.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$2.93 MX$49.75

39.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,960

$1.57 MX$26.67

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,708

$2.00 MX$34.04

6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,985

$2.20 MX$37.38

0.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,460

$2.31 MX$39.27

-11.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,747

$3.45 MX$58.6

-56.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,755

$1.63 MX$27.73

-26.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,654

$1.33 MX$22.65

-12.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.59 MX$78.0

-15.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.6K

$12.59 MX$214

14.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,997

$2.01 MX$34.10

-21.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,923

$3.21 MX$54.6

-11.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,686

$0.64 MX$10.80

82.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 245.3K

$23.04 MX$392

237.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,054

$4.70 MX$79.8

-72.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,602

$2.96 MX$50.2

-29.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.2K

$4.58 MX$77.8

88.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,096

$1.55 MX$26.32

-16.13%

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

$27.7K COP 87.3M

$22.8K MX$388.0K

21.14%

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

$35.5K COP 112.0M

$25.6K MX$435.2K

38.65%

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

$176 COP 555.6K

$139 MX$2,367

26.41%

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

$13.37 COP 42.2K

$33.76 MX$574

-60.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.3K

$36.02 MX$612

-17.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.2K

$41.83 MX$711

7.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

$16.50 MX$280

3.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.6K

$9.93 MX$169

-37.56%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$375 MX$6,370

111.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.5M

$6,325 MX$107.5K

42.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 270.1K

$58.0 MX$986

47.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.5K

$37.66 MX$640

55.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 430.1K

$110 MX$1,868

23.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 325.4K

$101 MX$1,718

2.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,487 MX$25.3K

-28.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$749 MX$12.7K

-9.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$2,110 MX$35.8K

-4.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,258 MX$21.4K

-7.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 13.0M

$5,419 MX$92.1K

-24.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

$2,605 MX$44.3K

-34.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$939 MX$16.0K

-29.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.7

-6.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,487 in Puerto Vallarta. 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 41% higher in Puerto Vallarta, 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 Medellin versus $61.0 in Puerto Vallarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $346 – making Medellin 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

Medellin vs Puerto Vallarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Puerto Vallarta is pricier by about 3%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,644 in Puerto Vallarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $61.0 in Puerto Vallarta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,762 in Puerto Vallarta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Puerto Vallarta at $1,762. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Vallarta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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