Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto la Cruz and Ajijic Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto la Cruz and Ajijic

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $750 per month in Puerto la Cruz vs $1,361 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,316 per month in Puerto la Cruz vs $2,115 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,882 per month in Puerto la Cruz vs $2,869 in Ajijic, rent included.

Puerto la Cruz is about 45% cheaper than Ajijic, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Puerto la Cruz and Ajijic are more affordable than the global median – Puerto la Cruz 46% lower, Ajijic 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 VES 8,231

$10.34 MX$175

-4.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 VES 50.0K

$47.48 MX$805

26.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 VES 6,244

$7.57 MX$128

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$3.56 VES 2,955

$3.85 MX$65.2

-7.53%

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

$0.65 VES 541

$1.81 MX$30.71

-64.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 VES 377

$1.26 MX$21.43

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 VES 1,008

$2.33 MX$39.52

-48.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 VES 1,219

$3.64 MX$61.8

-59.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 VES 1,612

$1.54 MX$26.10

25.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 VES 1,015

$2.31 MX$39.20

-47.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 VES 975

$1.19 MX$20.20

-1.68%

Eggs

$2.36 VES 1,962

$2.46 MX$41.76

-4.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 VES 5,691

$8.81 MX$149

-22.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 VES 7,380

$8.77 MX$149

1.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 VES 9,260

$7.85 MX$133

42.04%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 VES 6,134

$2.39 MX$40.52

209.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 VES 1,106

$1.36 MX$23.10

-2.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.52 VES 429

$1.66 MX$28.18

-68.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 VES 1,931

$1.90 MX$32.28

22.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.25 VES 1,866

$1.73 MX$29.34

30.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 VES 1,853

$1.44 MX$24.36

54.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 VES 1,358

$1.10 MX$18.73

49.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 VES 1,357

$0.97 MX$16.44

68.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 VES 3,272

$4.70 MX$79.8

-16.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 VES 6,448

$9.69 MX$164

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 VES 821

$1.65 MX$27.91

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 1,278

$1.43 MX$24.31

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 VES 327

$0.70 MX$11.83

-44.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.65 VES 25.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 VES 2,453

$1.31 MX$22.15

125.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.79 VES 2,316

$4.81 MX$81.6

-42.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 VES 8,266

$12.02 MX$204

-17.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 VES 401

$1.53 MX$25.94

-68.63%

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

$25.1K VES 20.9M

$23.2K MX$393.5K

8.34%

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

$37.4K VES 31.0M

$26.2K MX$444.0K

42.75%

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

$23.22 VES 19.3K

$59.3 MX$1,005

-60.81%

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

$9.87 VES 8,197

$15.70 MX$266

-37.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.45 VES 22.8K

$26.17 MX$444

4.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.18 VES 25.1K

$26.81 MX$455

12.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.41 VES 21.1K

$5.77 MX$97.9

340.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 VES 4,043

$5.09 MX$86.4

-4.32%

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

$59.2 VES 49.2K

$228 MX$3,869

-74.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,030 VES 2.5M

$3,093 MX$52.5K

-2.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.86 VES 38.9K

$48.14 MX$817

-2.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.55 VES 27.9K

$17.70 MX$300

89.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.59 VES 37.0K

$73.7 MX$1,250

-39.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.70 VES 38.8K

$75.3 MX$1,277

-37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$153 VES 126.8K

$917 MX$15.6K

-83.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.0 VES 78.1K

$666 MX$11.3K

-85.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 VES 256.9K

$1,578 MX$26.8K

-80.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 VES 164.2K

$1,308 MX$22.2K

-84.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$752 VES 624.6K

$3,186 MX$54.0K

-76.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$374 VES 310.7K

$1,749 MX$29.7K

-78.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$229 VES 190.1K

$594 MX$10.1K

-61.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.2

33.93%

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

Last update for Puerto la Cruz: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $153 in Puerto la Cruz versus $917 in Ajijic. 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 159% higher in Ajijic, 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 $60.0 in Puerto la Cruz versus $47.00 in Ajijic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $238 – making Ajijic 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

Puerto la Cruz vs Ajijic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajijic is pricier by about 82%, 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 $1,125 per month in Puerto la Cruz and $2,042 in Ajijic. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $750 in Puerto la Cruz and $1,361 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $59.2 per month in Puerto la Cruz and $228 in Ajijic. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Puerto la Cruz, where all-in costs run around $750, than in Ajijic at $1,361. In Puerto la Cruz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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