TL;DRCancun is 49% cheaper on rent ($737/mo vs $1,435/mo). Puerto Vallarta is safer — homicide rate 24.9 vs 26.1 per 100k. Neither city will test your commitment to owning a coat.

Cancun edges ahead 52 to 45. Puerto Vallarta isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.

How the livability score breaks down

Cancun

Puerto Vallarta

21.8/25

💰 Affordability

15/25

0/15

🔒 Violent Crime

0/15

4.6/10

🛡️ Perceived Safety

6.6/10

10.6/15

⚡ Internet

5.3/15

8/15

🗳️ Democracy

8/15

3/10

🗣️ English

3/10

6.7/10

☀️ Climate

7.3/10

5.3/10

📊 Stability

5.3/10

4.7/10

🚗 Road Safety

4.7/10

3.5/10

🕊️ Geopolitical Safety

3.5/10

Verdict delivered. Your move.

The winner's file

🇲🇽 Cancun

Full profile. Verify before you pack.

Due diligence

🇲🇽 Puerto Vallarta

Every verdict deserves an appeal.

Plot twist

Mexico City vs Cancun

Someone else's dilemma, equally unsolvable.

Household

Cancun

Metric

Puerto Vallarta

$573/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

lower is better

$539/mo✓

✓$2,961

🧳

Cost to land

lower is better

$5,055

32 / 100

🛡️

Settler safety

higher is better

35 / 100✓

26.1 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

lower is better

24.9 / 100k

12.0 / 100k

🚗

Road deaths

lower is better

12.0 / 100k

46 / 100

🚨

Safety Index

higher is better

66 / 100✓

90°F

☀️

Summer high

personal taste

86°F

68°F

❄️

Winter low

personal taste

64°F

142 Mbps

⚡

Internet speed

higher is better

—

8.3 μg/m³

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

lower is better

—

65 / 100

🏥

Healthcare

higher is better

—

5.3 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

higher is better

5.3 / 10

4.8 / 9

🤝

Migrant acceptance

higher is better

4.8 / 9

71 / 100

🏳️‍🌈

Rainbow Index

higher is better

71 / 100

20/100

🗣️

Street English

higher is better

20/100

$26k

💼

GDP per capita (PPP)

higher is better

$26k

4.7% · Boringly steady

📈

Inflation

lower is better

4.7% · Boringly steady

59/100

🗽

Freedom House

higher is better

59/100

See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · Gallup · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated May 2026

💰

Cost of Living

Cancun

$698/mo cheaper on rent alone

🔒

Safety

Puerto Vallarta

24.9 homicides per 100k

Sun

How much sky you actually get

51% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

Sky clear

avg daytime

46% clear

Win

Spr

Sum

Fall

10.8h

Shortest day

Dec

10.9h

13.4h

Longest day

Jun

13.4h

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

declining ↓

Democracy trend

improving ↑

Inflation trend

stable →

Moderate

🇺🇸 Your visa

Moderate

EU visa

Moderate

RU visa

Moderate

UA visa

Moderate

—

Spouse works

⚠️ Needs a separate work permit

—

Retiree visa

$4,400/mo

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request

Abortion access

On request

12 wk

Gestational limit

12 wk

Decriminalized nationwide by Supreme Court in 2023. Access varies by state.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

Legal

Marriage

Legal

Joint adoption

Adoption

Joint adoption

Yes

Job protection

Yes

Hate crime law

Yes

Cancun vs Puerto Vallarta — Common Questions

Is Cancun cheaper than Puerto Vallarta?▾

Cancun is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $737/month there vs $1435/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Cancun or Puerto Vallarta?▾

Puerto Vallarta is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Cancun has a rate of 26.11 per 100,000 and Puerto Vallarta has 24.86 per 100,000.

Should I move to Cancun or Puerto Vallarta?▾

Cancun edges ahead 52 to 45. Puerto Vallarta isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Cancun or Puerto Vallarta?▾

Cancun: no specific remote work visa. Puerto Vallarta: Mexico Temporary Resident Visa (moderate requirements, 1–4 years). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

What's the cost of rent in Cancun vs Puerto Vallarta?▾

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $737/month in Cancun, $1435/month in Puerto Vallarta (Numbeo). That's 49% cheaper rent in Cancun.