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Oaxaca vs Puerto Vallarta cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฒ๐ฝ Oaxaca
๐ฒ๐ฝ Puerto Vallarta
At a glance
- Where Oaxaca is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (67%โ), Half-day tour (67%โ), Studio rent (month) (53%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Puerto Vallarta is easier to travel (2.4 vs 2.8). Biggest gap: language โ Oaxaca 3 vs Puerto Vallarta 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Oaxaca | Puerto Vallarta | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | MX$ 120$6.45 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Oaxaca โ40% |
| Street food1 item | MX$ 60$3.23 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Oaxaca โ14% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | MX$ 300$16.1 | MX$ 480$25.8 | Oaxaca โ38% |
| Coffeeone cup | MX$ 60$3.23 | MX$ 75$4.03 | Oaxaca โ20% |
| Beerone bottle | MX$ 50$2.69 | MX$ 50$2.69 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | MX$ 130$6.99 | MX$ 150$8.06 | Oaxaca โ13% |
| Bottled water | MX$ 15$0.81 | MX$ 16$0.86 | Oaxaca โ6% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | MX$ 22$1.18 | MX$ 25$1.34 | Oaxaca โ12% |
| Taxi5 km in town | MX$ 70$3.76 | MX$ 100$5.38 | Oaxaca โ30% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | MX$ 45$2.42 | MX$ 70$3.76 | Oaxaca โ36% |
| Transitone ride | MX$ 10$0.54 | MX$ 11$0.59 | Oaxaca โ9% |
| Scooter rentalper day | MX$ 200$10.8 | MX$ 600$32.3 | Oaxaca โ67% |
| Hotel night3-star | MX$ 1,700$91.4 | MX$ 1,600$86 | Puerto Vallarta โ6% |
| Studio rent (month) | MX$ 7,500$403 | MX$ 16,000$860 | Oaxaca โ53% |
| Laundry | MX$ 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$6.45 | MX$ 180$9.68 | Oaxaca โ33% |
| Massage1 hour | MX$ 600$32.3 | MX$ 650$34.9 | Oaxaca โ8% |
| Half-day tourper person | MX$ 400$21.5 | MX$ 1,200$64.5 | Oaxaca โ67% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | MX$ 95$5.11 | MX$ 200$10.8 | Oaxaca โ52% |
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%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Oaxaca or Puerto Vallarta?
Oaxaca is 38% cheaper than Puerto Vallarta. Daily budget $145 vs $169; a month $1,751 vs $3,577.
Which is easier to travel, Oaxaca or Puerto Vallarta?
Puerto Vallarta is easier: Puerto Vallarta 2.4/5 vs Oaxaca 2.8/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Oaxaca and Puerto Vallarta?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Oaxaca is about $1,751 and Puerto Vallarta about $3,577 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
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.