Cost of Living: Cancun vs Puerto Vallarta (2026)

Mexico vs Mexico — relocation comparison

Your passport:

Livability Score

Cancun

Puerto Vallarta

$737/mo

Rent

$1435/mo

52/100

Livability

44/100

30/100

Settler safety

30/100

65/100

Healthcare

—

4 yr

PR path

4 yr

142 Mbps

Internet

—

Freelance setup

RESICO

No VAT exemption
€350/yr accountant

Stripe

RESICO

No VAT exemption
€350/yr accountant

Stripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated May 2026

TL;DRCancun is 49% cheaper on rent ($737/mo vs $1435/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 44. Puerto Vallarta isn't far behind — it depends what matters to you.

Household

Cancun

Metric

Puerto Vallarta

✓$737/mo

🏠

Rent (1BR centre)

lower is better

$1435/mo

$573/mo

🛒

Living costs (no rent)

lower is better

$539/mo✓

✓$2,961

🧳

Cost to land

lower is better

$5,055

30 / 100

🛡️

Settler safety

higher is better

30 / 100

26.1 / 100k

🔒

Homicides

lower is better

24.9 / 100k

12.0 / 100k

🚗

Road deaths

lower is better

12.0 / 100k

32°C

☀️

Summer high

personal taste

30°C

20°C

❄️

Winter low

personal taste

18°C

142 Mbps

⚡

Internet speed

higher is better

—

8.3 μg/m³

🌬️

Air quality (PM2.5)

lower is better

—

5.3 / 10

🗳️

Democracy

higher is better

5.3 / 10

20/100

🗣️

Street English

higher is better

20/100

$26k

💼

GDP per capita

higher is better

$26k

4.7% · Boringly steady

📈

Inflation

lower is better

4.7% · Boringly steady

✓52 / 100

🏅

Livability Score

higher is better

44 / 100

4 years

📋

Time to PR

lower is better

4 years

See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · 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 →

4 yrs

Time to PR

4 yrs

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 · IEA · 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

71/100

Rainbow Index

71/100

Legal

Marriage

Legal

Joint adoption

Adoption

Joint adoption

Yes

Job protection

Yes

Hate crime law

Yes

Rainbow Index source: ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map (European cities) / Equaldex Equality Index (elsewhere) — two distinct scales

The Short Version

•Rent is 49% cheaper in Cancun ($737/mo vs $1435/mo for a 1BR city centre).
•Summers are slightly warmer in Cancun (32°C vs 30°C).
•Puerto Vallarta is safer by homicide rate (24.9 vs 26.1 per 100k).

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 in Cancun 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 44. 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.