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 $1,762 per month in Puerto Vallarta vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,727 per month in Puerto Vallarta vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,691 per month in Puerto Vallarta vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Puerto Vallarta costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Puerto Vallarta and Medellin sit above the global median – Puerto Vallarta by 28%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.50 MX$246

$8.03 COP 25.3K

80.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.5 MX$1,045

$48.26 COP 152.3K

27.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 MX$196

$9.77 COP 30.8K

18.12%

Cappuccino

$4.42 MX$75.2

$2.91 COP 9,185

51.89%

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

$2.04 MX$34.69

$1.94 COP 6,134

5.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$25.70

$1.52 COP 4,801

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 MX$55.8

$3.09 COP 9,759

6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.67 MX$79.4

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-18.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 MX$33.78

$1.36 COP 4,304

46.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 MX$62.5

$2.39 COP 7,534

53.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 MX$38.23

$1.70 COP 5,366

32.35%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$42.68

$2.87 COP 9,056

-12.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 MX$173

$9.94 COP 31.4K

2.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.55 MX$213

$10.78 COP 34.0K

16.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.61 MX$316

$14.73 COP 46.5K

26.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 MX$49.75

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-28.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.67

$1.57 COP 4,960

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$2.13 COP 6,708

-6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.38

$2.21 COP 6,985

-0.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$39.27

$2.05 COP 6,460

12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 MX$58.6

$1.50 COP 4,747

130.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 MX$27.73

$1.19 COP 3,755

36.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.65

$1.16 COP 3,654

14.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.59 MX$78.0

$3.90 COP 12.3K

17.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 MX$214

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$34.10

$1.58 COP 4,997

27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 MX$54.6

$2.83 COP 8,923

13.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$10.80

$1.17 COP 3,686

-45.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.04 MX$392

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-70.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 MX$79.8

$1.28 COP 4,054

267.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 MX$50.2

$2.09 COP 6,602

41.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.58 MX$77.8

$8.62 COP 27.2K

-46.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.32

$1.30 COP 4,096

19.23%

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

$22.8K MX$388.0K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

-17.45%

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

$25.6K MX$435.2K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-27.88%

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

$139 MX$2,367

$176 COP 555.6K

-20.90%

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

$33.76 MX$574

$13.37 COP 42.2K

152.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.02 MX$612

$29.89 COP 94.3K

20.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.83 MX$711

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-6.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.50 MX$280

$17.06 COP 53.8K

-3.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 MX$169

$6.20 COP 19.6K

60.16%

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

$375 MX$6,370

$793 COP 2.5M

-52.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,325 MX$107.5K

$9,019 COP 28.5M

-29.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 MX$986

$85.6 COP 270.1K

-32.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.66 MX$640

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-35.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,868

$136 COP 430.1K

-19.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 MX$1,718

$103 COP 325.4K

-1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 MX$25.3K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

40.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$749 MX$12.7K

$680 COP 2.1M

10.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 MX$35.8K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

4.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 MX$21.4K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

7.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,419 MX$92.1K

$4,111 COP 13.0M

31.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,605 MX$44.3K

$1,701 COP 5.4M

53.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$939 MX$16.0K

$665 COP 2.1M

41.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.7

10.94

6.95%

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

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,487 in Puerto Vallarta versus $1,060 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 41% 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 $61.0 in Puerto Vallarta versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $303 – 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 3%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,644 per month in Puerto Vallarta and $2,574 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 $61.0 in Puerto Vallarta and $48.00 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 $1,762 in Puerto Vallarta and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in Puerto Vallarta at $1,762. 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.