Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
Oaxaca is easier to travel (2.8 vs 3.0). Biggest gap: safety โ Oaxaca 2 vs Puerto Escondido 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
| Item | Oaxaca | Puerto Escondido | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | MX$ 120$6.45 | MX$ 100$5.38 | Puerto Escondido โ17% |
| Street food1 item | MX$ 60$3.23 | MX$ 50$2.69 | Puerto Escondido โ17% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | MX$ 300$16.1 | MX$ 280$15.1 | Puerto Escondido โ7% |
| Coffeeone cup | MX$ 60$3.23 | MX$ 55$2.96 | Puerto Escondido โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | MX$ 50$2.69 | MX$ 60$3.23 | Oaxaca โ17% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | MX$ 130$6.99 | MX$ 130$6.99 | similar |
| Bottled water | MX$ 15$0.81 | MX$ 14$0.75 | Puerto Escondido โ7% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | MX$ 22$1.18 | MX$ 22$1.18 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | MX$ 70$3.76 | MX$ 80$4.3 | Oaxaca โ12% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | MX$ 45$2.42 | MX$ 40$2.15 | Puerto Escondido โ11% |
| Transitone ride | MX$ 10$0.54 | MX$ 12$0.65 | Oaxaca โ17% |
| Scooter rentalper day | MX$ 200$10.8 | MX$ 350$18.8 | Oaxaca โ43% |
| Hotel night3-star | MX$ 1,700$91.4 | MX$ 1,100$59.1 | Puerto Escondido โ35% |
| Studio rent (month) | MX$ 7,500$403 | MX$ 12,000$645 | Oaxaca โ38% |
| Laundry | MX$ 25$1.34 | MX$ 30$1.61 | Oaxaca โ17% |
| SIM card1 week data | MX$ 150$8.06 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Oaxaca โ25% |
| Haircutcut | MX$ 120$6.45 | MX$ 120$6.45 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | MX$ 600$32.3 | MX$ 700$37.6 | Oaxaca โ14% |
| Half-day tourper person | MX$ 400$21.5 | MX$ 800$43 | Oaxaca โ50% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | MX$ 95$5.11 | MX$ 100$5.38 | Oaxaca โ5% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
Oaxaca is 9% cheaper than Puerto Escondido. Daily budget $145 vs $109; a month $1,751 vs $2,516.
Oaxaca is easier: Oaxaca 2.8/5 vs Puerto Escondido 3.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
With a short-term studio and living costs, Oaxaca is about $1,751 and Puerto Escondido about $2,516 per month.
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.