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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,557 per month in Puerto Vallarta vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,373 per month in Puerto Vallarta vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Puerto Vallarta vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Vallarta costs about 54% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Puerto Vallarta sits 16% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.45 MX$181

$5.99 COP 21.4K

74.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.75 MX$826

$32.86 COP 117.4K

45.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 MX$166

$7.09 COP 25.3K

35.68%

Cappuccino

$3.49 MX$60.4

$1.71 COP 6,115

104.09%

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

$1.79 MX$30.99

$1.10 COP 3,924

62.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$21.73

$0.78 COP 2,781

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MX$45.40

$1.68 COP 5,997

55.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 MX$76.6

$3.07 COP 11.0K

44.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.42

$1.09 COP 3,906

50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 MX$61.7

$1.26 COP 4,508

182.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 MX$42.19

$1.38 COP 4,922

76.81%

Eggs

$2.07 MX$35.75

$2.19 COP 7,827

-5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 MX$193

$4.40 COP 15.7K

154.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.63 COP 20.1K

84.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.64 MX$288

$8.89 COP 31.8K

87.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 MX$41.93

$2.34 COP 8,349

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$24.87

$1.06 COP 3,777

35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.67

$1.50 COP 5,374

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 MX$38.88

$1.38 COP 4,924

63.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.15 COP 4,111

90.43%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 MX$53.2

$1.16 COP 4,155

165.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 MX$25.75

$0.89 COP 3,182

67.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.12

$0.84 COP 2,997

38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.1

$2.28 COP 8,145

85.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 MX$218

$10.64 COP 38.0K

18.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$34.25

$1.20 COP 4,284

65.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MX$58.2

$2.47 COP 8,824

36.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$8.92

$0.86 COP 3,056

-39.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.16 MX$280

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-60.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 MX$51.7

$1.47 COP 5,264

103.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 MX$45.15

$1.96 COP 7,009

33.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.11 MX$71.1

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-46.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.74

$0.95 COP 3,409

32.63%

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

$15.0K MX$258.8K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-17.48%

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

$22.3K MX$385.7K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-15.80%

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

$95.8 MX$1,657

$82.3 COP 293.7K

16.46%

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

$23.74 MX$411

$9.50 COP 33.9K

149.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.98 MX$536

$24.23 COP 86.5K

27.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.32 MX$611

$25.89 COP 92.4K

36.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.43 MX$232

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-29.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 MX$141

$3.93 COP 14.0K

107.12%

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

$360 MX$6,225

$309 COP 1.1M

16.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,276 MX$108.6K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

5.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 MX$931

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-8.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.85 MX$568

$32.35 COP 115.5K

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 MX$1,724

$103 COP 366.4K

-2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 MX$1,578

$108 COP 387.2K

-15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

108.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 MX$11.6K

$379 COP 1.4M

76.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 MX$34.4K

$838 COP 3.0M

137.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 MX$21.6K

$724 COP 2.6M

72.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,323 MX$92.1K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

90.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,609 MX$45.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

115.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,032 MX$17.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

101.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.43

-14.37%

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

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Puerto Vallarta versus $476 in Medellin. 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 102% 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 Puerto Vallarta versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $188 – 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

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

Yes – Puerto Vallarta is pricier by about 54%, 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 $2,335 per month in Puerto Vallarta and $1,519 in Medellin. 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 Puerto Vallarta and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,557 in Puerto Vallarta and $1,013 in Medellin. 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 $1,013, than in Puerto Vallarta at $1,557. 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.