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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,571 in Puerto Vallarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,412 in Puerto Vallarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,253 in Puerto Vallarta, rent included.

Medellin is about 34% cheaper than Puerto Vallarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Puerto Vallarta is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$10.75 MX$188

-42.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$47.73 MX$835

-31.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.67 MX$169

-24.10%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$3.47 MX$60.7

-50.43%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$1.81 MX$31.64

-41.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$1.26 MX$22.09

-38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$2.60 MX$45.40

-35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.34 MX$75.9

-26.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.57 MX$27.47

-33.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$3.47 MX$60.7

-62.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$2.33 MX$40.69

-39.91%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$1.96 MX$34.31

10.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.47 MX$201

-61.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$10.32 MX$180

-43.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$17.00 MX$297

-49.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$2.42 MX$42.34

-5.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$1.41 MX$24.69

-21.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$1.65 MX$28.92

-7.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$2.33 MX$40.79

-42.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$2.24 MX$39.16

-49.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$3.03 MX$53.0

-62.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$1.48 MX$25.81

-42.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$1.15 MX$20.16

-20.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$4.13 MX$72.2

-43.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$12.23 MX$214

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$2.06 MX$36.01

-41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$3.24 MX$56.6

-23.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.51 MX$8.93

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$16.08 MX$281

152.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$2.97 MX$51.9

-52.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$2.75 MX$48.11

-30.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.32 MX$75.5

77.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.33 MX$23.21

-25.56%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$15.0K MX$263.0K

19.88%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$22.0K MX$385.3K

20.83%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$94.2 MX$1,647

-14.21%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$23.56 MX$412

-57.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$30.94 MX$541

-21.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$36.41 MX$637

-31.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.12 MX$229

45.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.15 MX$142

-51.17%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$362 MX$6,327

-15.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,410 MX$112.1K

-5.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$52.3 MX$915

11.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$33.71 MX$589

-4.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$99.3 MX$1,735

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$93.9 MX$1,642

14.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$994 MX$17.4K

-52.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$684 MX$12.0K

-45.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,981 MX$34.6K

-57.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,278 MX$22.3K

-42.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$5,369 MX$93.9K

-40.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,565 MX$44.8K

-46.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$914 MX$16.0K

-32.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.5

16.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $994 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 48% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $48.00 in Puerto Vallarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $317 – 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 52%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,357 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $48.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,571 in Puerto Vallarta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Puerto Vallarta at $1,571. 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.