Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Vallarta and Lagos, Portugal

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Vallarta: $1,579 a month against $2,044 in Lagos, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lagos outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Lagos, Portugal
Puerto Vallarta
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,579
/mo nomad
Lagos
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,044
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Puerto Vallarta and in Lagos

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 Lagos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,579 in Puerto Vallarta versus $2,044 in Lagos.

  • Puerto Vallarta $1,579
  • Lagos $2,044

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,393 in Puerto Vallarta versus $3,081 in Lagos.

  • Puerto Vallarta $2,393
  • Lagos $3,081

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,208 in Puerto Vallarta versus $4,117 in Lagos.

  • Puerto Vallarta $3,208
  • Lagos $4,117

Living in Puerto Vallarta costs roughly 23% less than in Lagos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puerto Vallarta 16% above, Lagos 50% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puerto Vallarta
Lagos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.45 MX$253
$12.18 €10.91
10.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.8 MX$1,048
$56.5 €50.6
-1.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.74 MX$202
$7.89 €7.07
36.12%
Cappuccino
$4.13 MX$77.6
$2.65 €2.37
55.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 MX$35.33
$2.44 €2.18
-22.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 MX$25.37
$1.72 €1.54
-21.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.00 MX$56.3
$3.98 €3.56
-24.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.21 MX$79.0
$4.39 €3.93
-4.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puerto Vallarta
Lagos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 MX$33.49
$1.03 €0.92
72.82%
White Bread (500g)
$3.34 MX$62.8
$2.40 €2.15
39.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$2.11 €1.89
-8.06%
Eggs
$2.25 MX$42.15
$3.54 €3.17
-36.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.96 MX$187
$17.50 €15.67
-43.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.96 MX$206
$8.21 €7.35
33.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.95 MX$299
$15.28 €13.69
4.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.74 MX$51.4
$2.85 €2.56
-3.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 MX$28.88
$1.37 €1.23
12.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.95 MX$36.56
$1.77 €1.59
10.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$37.28
$2.67 €2.39
-25.47%
Potato (1kg)
$2.35 MX$44.18
$2.00 €1.79
17.50%
Onion (1kg)
$3.01 MX$56.4
$2.09 €1.87
44.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 MX$26.78
$1.31 €1.17
9.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$20.34
$0.38 €0.34
184.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16 MX$78.1
$5.74 €5.14
-27.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.65 MX$200
$4.53 €4.06
135.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 MX$34.20
$0.91 €0.82
100.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 MX$49.74
$2.76 €2.47
-3.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Puerto Vallarta
Lagos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$10.75
$1.70 €1.52
-66.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.39 MX$495
$33.85 €30.32
-22.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.66 MX$87.4
$5.71 €5.12
-18.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.00 MX$56.3
$0.99 €0.89
203.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.21 MX$79.1
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$27.19
$2.01 €1.80
-27.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.0K MX$451.0K
$33.1K €29.7K
-27.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7K MX$444.9K
$35.2K €31.5K
-32.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Vallarta
Lagos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.7 MX$1,609
$146 €131
-41.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.78 MX$484
$21.33 €19.10
20.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19 MX$586
$43.62 €39.07
-28.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Vallarta
Lagos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.29 MX$663
$54.4 €48.75
-35.16%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.65 MX$275
$28.31 €25.36
-48.25%
Cinema Ticket
$8.42 MX$158
$6.26 €5.60
34.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puerto Vallarta
Lagos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$318 MX$5,974
$521 €466
-38.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,284 MX$118.0K
$11.1K €9,982
-43.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Vallarta
Lagos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.2 MX$1,017
$81.7 €73.2
-33.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.37 MX$645
$48.89 €43.78
-29.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 MX$1,888
$69.9 €62.6
43.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.5 MX$1,774
$113 €101
-16.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puerto Vallarta
Lagos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,263 MX$23.7K
$1,144 €1,024
10.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 MX$12.7K
$1,098 €983
-38.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 MX$38.1K
$2,395 €2,145
-15.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 MX$20.4K
$1,959 €1,755
-44.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,115 MX$96.0K
$3,962 €3,548
29.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,524 MX$47.4K
$4,826 €4,322
-47.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puerto Vallarta
Lagos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$925 MX$17.4K
$1,213 €1,086
-23.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.7
3.85
203.90%

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

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: October 27, 2026

Last update for Lagos: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Puerto Vallarta
$674
Lagos
$1.1K 62.9% $424
Groceries & Markets
Puerto Vallarta
$309
Lagos
$278 9.8% $30
Eating Out
Puerto Vallarta
$226
Lagos
$198 12.2% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Vallarta
$143
Lagos
$211 47.8% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Vallarta
$128
Lagos
$141 10.6% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Vallarta
$52
Lagos
$67 28.4% $15
Getting Around
Puerto Vallarta
$48
Lagos
$51 6.1% $3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,263 in Puerto Vallarta and $1,144 in Lagos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lagos pays 31% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $56 in Puerto Vallarta vs $57 in Lagos. Groceries flip the comparison at $309 vs $278, with Lagos cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Puerto Vallarta
🇵🇹 Lagos
🕒 Local time
13:56 1:56 PM
19:56 7:56 PM
6 h ahead of Puerto Vallarta
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
224,166
33,500
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Puerto Vallarta Lagos 9,190 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Puerto Vallarta
  • Lagos

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 Lagos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Puerto Vallarta and in Lagos?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,579 in Puerto Vallarta and $2,044 in Lagos, so Puerto Vallarta is about 23% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Puerto Vallarta. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Puerto Vallarta and in Lagos?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,263 in Puerto Vallarta versus $1,144 in Lagos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lagos pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It’s an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Puerto Vallarta or Lagos?
All in, you’ll spend $1,579 per month in Puerto Vallarta versus $2,044 in Lagos – Puerto Vallarta is about 23% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is feasible on a $1,500 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,500. Puerto Vallarta is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Puerto Vallarta and Lagos?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Puerto Vallarta or Lagos safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Puerto Vallarta and Lagos are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Puerto Vallarta and Lagos?
It comes down to priorities – Puerto Vallarta wins on affordability, Lagos on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Puerto Vallarta vs other spots: cost of living compared

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