Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Vallarta and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Vallarta: $1,635 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Vallarta
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Puerto Vallarta Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Puerto Vallarta

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,635

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Puerto Vallarta and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Puerto Vallarta and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,635 in Puerto Vallarta versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Puerto Vallarta $1,635
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,465 in Puerto Vallarta versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Puerto Vallarta $2,465
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,295 in Puerto Vallarta versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Puerto Vallarta $3,295
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Puerto Vallarta costs roughly 40% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puerto Vallarta 22% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 MX$256

$20.22 $20.22

-31.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.4 MX$1,054

$85.0 $85.0

-32.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$200

$12.35 $12.35

-11.74%

Cappuccino

$4.06 MX$74.5

$5.47 $5.47

-25.78%

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

$1.95 MX$35.86

$3.82 $3.82

-48.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$25.45

$2.50 $2.50

-44.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$56.7

$8.06 $8.06

-61.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MX$79.7

$8.99 $8.99

-51.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 MX$34.99

$1.13 $1.13

69.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 MX$64.1

$3.78 $3.78

-7.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.07

$3.25 $3.25

-37.85%

Eggs

$2.25 MX$41.33

$4.14 $4.14

-45.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 MX$182

$13.08 $13.08

-24.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.00 MX$202

$14.31 $14.31

-23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 MX$296

$15.96 $15.96

1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$52.5

$4.38 $4.38

-34.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 MX$28.23

$1.45 $1.45

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 MX$35.50

$4.54 $4.54

-57.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$38.99

$4.19 $4.19

-49.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 MX$43.02

$2.63 $2.63

-11.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 MX$58.5

$2.36 $2.36

35.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$25.55

$1.76 $1.76

-21.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$21.16

$2.16 $2.16

-46.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 MX$82.3

$9.81 $9.81

-54.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.88 MX$200

$14.72 $14.72

-26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 MX$34.42

$2.78 $2.78

-32.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 MX$49.77

$3.48 $3.48

-22.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$11.42

$1.49 $1.49

-58.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 MX$392

$40.51 $40.51

-47.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 MX$84.4

$2.67 $2.67

72.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 MX$55.3

$1.58 $1.58

90.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 MX$82.3

$35.29 $35.29

-87.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$28.71

$0.99 $0.99

57.58%

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

$21.4K MX$393.8K

$35.8K $35.8K

-40.10%

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

$24.7K MX$453.5K

$27.2K $27.2K

-9.10%

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

$85.6 MX$1,572

$219 $219

-60.95%

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

$26.25 MX$482

$58.0 $58.0

-54.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.63 MX$599

$68.4 $68.4

-52.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 MX$676

$57.9 $57.9

-36.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.19 MX$279

$14.82 $14.82

2.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 MX$161

$14.13 $14.13

-38.08%

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

$328 MX$6,021

$1,509 $1,509

-78.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,190 MX$113.6K

$21.5K $21.5K

-71.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 MX$1,010

$51.7 $51.7

6.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 MX$641

$44.05 $44.05

-20.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,897

$85.1 $85.1

21.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 MX$1,796

$105 $105

-7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.9K

$1,932 $1,932

-32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 MX$12.8K

$1,272 $1,272

-45.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 MX$37.5K

$3,670 $3,670

-44.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 MX$21.0K

$2,525 $2,525

-54.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,090 MX$93.4K

$7,617 $7,617

-33.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,598 MX$47.7K

$3,199 $3,199

-18.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$948 MX$17.4K

$5,105 $5,105

-81.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.7

6.79

72.31%

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

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Puerto Vallarta

$699 43.2%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 82.1% $574

Groceries & Markets

Puerto Vallarta

$316 19.5%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 27.7% $87

Eating Out

Puerto Vallarta

$230 14.2%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 51.1% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puerto Vallarta

$145 8.9%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 139% $201

Clothing & Footwear

Puerto Vallarta

$131 8.1%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 1.7% $2.2

Sport & Entertainment

Puerto Vallarta

$54 3.4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 58.7% $32

Getting Around

Puerto Vallarta

$44 2.7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 31% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,303 in Puerto Vallarta and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 439% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $57.0 in Puerto Vallarta vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 vs $403 per month, with Puerto Vallarta cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Puerto Vallarta

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

01:46 1:46 AM

02:46 2:46 AM

1 h ahead of Puerto Vallarta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

224,166

974,447

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Puerto Vallarta Austin, TX 1,310 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Puerto Vallarta
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Vallarta vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Vallarta wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puerto Vallarta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 439% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,303 in Puerto Vallarta versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,635 per month in Puerto Vallarta versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Puerto Vallarta runs roughly 90% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,635 in Puerto Vallarta versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Puerto Vallarta but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Vallarta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Puerto Vallarta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,635 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Puerto Vallarta hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Puerto Vallarta and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Puerto Vallarta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.