Puerto Vallarta is a digital nomad and expat dream. It’s a modern, beautiful city that retains much of its charm while also enjoying a prime location right on the beach. Add that to the great food, numerous activities and affordability, and Puerto Vallarta is an amazing place to live. In this post you’ll find everything you need to know about living in Puerto Vallarta, whether it’s for a few months as a digital nomad or as a permanent move.
Living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Is Puerto Vallarta Cheap?
This is certainly the most asked question! While the answer to this question is definitely subjective, and it depends on where you’re comparing it to, in my experience, yes, Puerto Vallarta is an inexpensive place to live. This is my opinion coming from the US (NYC to be exact), and having visited numerous other cities in Mexico.
Puerto Vallarta is definitely cheaper than other major cities such as Cancun, Tulum or Mexico City, and you could absolutely live in PV for around $1,000 a month per person.
Puerto Vallarta Budget Breakdown (for 2 people):
- $700-2,000+ a month for a 1-2 bedroom apartment
- $200 a month ($50 a week) on groceries
- $300 on eating out (if you eat out a lot!)
- $100 on incidentals
- $100 a month on transportation (lots of Ubers)
- Cell phone plan – this varies greatly, I kept my plan from the US since my move to Mexico wasn’t permanent, and AT&T allows me to use my current plan in Mexico and Canada for no additional charge.
Total: $1,700-$2,500 for two people, plus some wiggle room for extras.
Note: If your property doesn’t include utilities and wifi, this will be an addition to your monthly expenses.
Neighborhoods in Puerto Vallarta – Where to Live in PV
When choosing where to live in Puerto Vallarta, it’s important to consider the many different neighborhoods and their locations. Personally, I recommend being far outside the Hotel Zone and as close to el Centro as possible.
The three neighborhoods I would recommend are 5 de Diciembre, Centro and Emiliano Zapata (Zona Romantica). Ideally, it would be great to spend some time in PV before your move in order to explore the neighborhoods and decide where you want to live. However, for some (like me!) that isn’t an option, so good research is key.
TIP: Puerto Vallarta is very hilly and these hills are steep. If you are outside of the main downtown area in 5 de Diciembre, Centro and Emiliano Zapata you could end up with a very, very steep walk every time you try to go from town back home. These steep hills coupled with the intense heat and humidity that is often present, isn’t necessarily a good mix.
My biggest tip when picking an apartment in PV is to make sure you’re not too far up a hill. This is especially true if you don’t have a car and are planning to walk most places. The downtown area of PV is very walkable, so I definitely recommend walking whenever possible. Although Ubers are available and cheap, it’s not necessarily convenient to call one every time you want to go from downtown back up the hill to your apartment.
It may sound like a hill is no big deal, but trust me, these hills are so, so steep and often there’s no sidewalks.
5 de Diciembre
When I moved to PV I picked an apartment in 5 de Diciembre without ever seeing it, or any other part of PV. While the neighborhood was a great choice with lots of restaurants and a grocery store, the specific apartment I chose was not the best location. It was up a few very steep hills. This prevented me from leaving my apartment as much as I would have if I had lived right in the center of the neighborhood itself.
5 de Diciembre is a great location for many reasons. First, it’s much quieter than the popular Zona Romantica area, while still being walkable to all of the bars and restaurants the Zona Romantica has to offer. Living in 5 de Diciembre will also give you a more local experience than if you live in other nearby areas that are more tourist-centered. Additionally, 5 de Diciembre is filled with coffee shops, restaurants, a grocery store (huge perk), as well as art galleries and shops. You’ll also find Playa Camarones in 5 de Diciembre, a quiet uncrowded beach that’s perfect for relaxing. Rent here is also more affordable than the Zona Romantica and parts of el Centro.
Live in 5 de Diciembre if you’re looking for:
- Bars and restaurants nearby
- Cheaper rent than the Zona Romantica
- Quieter area
- A walkable grocery store – Casa Ley
- An uncrowded beach area, Playa Camarones – but with few amenities
- Art galleries and street art
El Centro
El Centro is probably my favorite neighborhood in Puerto Vallarta. Located between 5 de Diciembre and the Zona Romantica, this neighborhood is quaint, beautiful and is home to great restaurants and coffee shops. It also has a lovely park area right in front of the stunning Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
While there isn’t a grocery store in El Centro, you can easily walk to 5 de Deciembre to Casa Ley.
Live in El Centro if you’re looking for:
- A beautiful, quaint downtown area
- Great restaurants
- Easily walkable to both the Zona Romantica and 5 de Diciembre
Zona Romantica/Emiliano Zapata
The Emiliano Zapata neighborhood, with its main downtown area known as the Zona Romantica, is the most popular area in downtown PV. This is definitely a party neighborhood and if you’re right in the downtown area, you can certainly expect it to be louder, especially on weekends.
Emiliano Zapata has tons of great restaurants and shops and is also home to the famous Los Muertos Beach. While I definitely think there are better beaches in PV, Los Muertos is extremely popular. If you want to be right in the middle of all of the action, this is the neighborhood for you.
Keep in mind that while there are mini-markets and food markets, there isn’t a full grocery store in the Zona Romantica. You will need to drive/Uber to another neighborhood, or have your groceries delivered.
Live in the Zona Romantica if you’re looking for:
- Newly constructed, modern apartment buildings
- The most popular area for expats and tourists from the USA
- Tons of things to do right outside your front door
- Great access to the beach
- A wide variety of restaurants, bars and cafes
- Are okay with a party scene
- Are willing to pay more expensive rent prices
How to Find an Apartment in Puerto Vallarta
If you can, I highly recommend visiting Puerto Vallarta for a few days before your move. This will allow you to walk around the neighborhoods and find apartments to tour. While walking along the streets, you’ll see apartments with “Se Renta” (For Rent) signs. This is a great way to find available apartments that are often cheaper than those listed online.
If you can’t visit PV before your move, AirBnb and Facebook Groups are good options. There are tons of Facebook Groups where people share available rental units around the city.
Check out:
- Puerto Vallarta Affordable Yearly Rentals
- Rentals In Puerto Vallarta for Locals and Long Term Visitors
- Puerto Vallarta – Real Estate – For Sale & Rentals
- Puerto Vallarta & Beyond Expat Rentals & Sales
- Rentals Puerto Vallarta
AirBnb Long Term Rentals
If you can’t visit PV before your move and need to secure an apartment beforehand, AirBnb long-term rentals is another option. These are great because they’re always furnished, utilities are included, and you’ll have easy access to AirBnb support if needed.
If you’re only going to be in PV for a month or two, a long-term AirBnb is a good option to consider. Most hosts offer substantial discounts for month-long stays. However, even with these discounts, you’ll almost certainly be paying a premium. Personally, I went the AirBnb rental route and it worked out great (besides the location). The apartment itself was beautiful, the amenities were great, and if anything went wrong (the wifi went out, the water went out, etc,) the AirBnb host was always there to help.
If renting through AirBnb long term rentals in the downtown area, expect to spend at least $700+ a month for a studio or one-bedroom in the off season and more in the high season. However, many apartments are more expensive ($2,000+), especially for more modern buildings in central locations.
How to Get Around Puerto Vallarta
Downtown Puerto Vallarta (5 de Diciembre, el Centro, Zona Romantica) are all very walkable areas. You can easily explore these neighborhoods on foot and walk between each of them in less than 20 minutes.
While there are reliable public buses in Puerto Vallarta, Ubers are very cheap. You can easily go between neighborhoods for a couple dollars and pretty much anywhere in the city for $5 or less. Because of the affordability of Ubers, they’re a great option if you need to get around.
If you’re living in downtown PV, I don’t recommend a car for daily use. While there is parking (not always easy to find), because of the walkable nature of the city and cheap Ubers, you likely won’t use a car very often.
Of course, if you’re living outside of downtown, or are planning on traveling often, a car may be a good idea.
Eating Out in Puerto Vallarta
The food scene in Puerto Vallarta is excellent. Living in Puerto Vallarta is fantastic as there are so many delicious restaurants at a variety of price points. The good news is, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a delicious meal in PV. There are tons of restaurants around the city where you can get tacos for $1 – that’s right, full service, sit down restaurants with $1 tacos.
Restaurant prices (dinner for 1):
- Street tacos: $1
- No-frills restaurant: $4-7
- Mid-range: $10
- Fancy restaurants: $15+
- Dinner delivery: 6+
- Check out Rappi, it’s a delivery app where you can get takeout, groceries and other items delivered. I used Rappi a ton.
Be sure to check out my post about The Best Restaurants in PV!
Food Tours
One of the first things I did when I arrived in PV was go on a food tour with a local. We visited a ton of great restaurants that I went back to the entire time I was in Puerto Vallarta! I definitely recommend doing this, as it’s a great way to get to know the local food scene and get restaurant recommendations from your tour guide.
- Signature Taco and Street Food Tour
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour
- Food and Mixology Tour: Tequila, Tacos, and Mexican Cocktails
- Bikes and Bites: Taco Bicycle Tour
- Tasting Vallarta Gourmet Food Tour
Where Do I Shop For Groceries in Puerto Vallarta?
One thing to consider when living in Puerto Vallarta is where the closest supermarket is to your home. In the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood you’ll find the Casa Ley supermarket. This supermarket is large and has most everything you’ll need. They even sell clothing, home items and seasonal decorations. If you live in 5 de Diciembre, el Centro or Zona Romantica, you can easily walk to Casa Ley. Depending on how many groceries you’re getting, you may need to take a taxi or Uber home.
There are many other large grocery stores in PV, but not near the downtown area. To get to them, you’ll need to take an Uber. The good news is, an Uber will be around $3-$5 each way, so it’s not overly expensive.
Other grocery stores in PV:
- Costco
- 10-15 minute drive from downtown
- La Comer
- 10-15 minute drive from downtown (next to Costco)
- Walmart
- 15-20 minute drive from downtown
Is Puerto Vallarta Safe?
Yes, Puerto Vallarta is safe. Like any city, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and use common sense (don’t flash large amounts of money, don’t leave your purse unattended, etc.) As a young woman in my 20s, I felt perfectly safe in downtown PV by myself. I didn’t venture out late at night alone (but I also wouldn’t do that anywhere), and I never once felt unsafe.
Things to Know When Moving to Puerto Vallarta
- The internet is, overall, very good
- We never had internet issues in our apartment and wifi is easy to find around the city. There are also co-working spaces around the city if you prefer to “work from home” from one of these spots.
- Some water is ultra-filtered and drinkable
- A frequent question I’m asked about PV is what the water quality is like. Puerto Vallarta has some of the best water in Mexico, but unless you have a UV light filter that is specifically made for drinking water, I’d stick to bottles. Regular water is perfectly fine for brushing your teeth.
- Delivery (food, groceries, etc) is fast and cheap
- Check out Rappi, similar to Uber Eats.
- English is widely spoken, but I recommend Spanish classes
- I will preface this by saying I speak Spanish and only spoke Spanish while in PV. However, all throughout my time in PV I heard English spoken regularly at stores, restaurants and tourist experiences. While you could live in PV only speaking English, while you’re there (or even beforehand) I highly recommend taking Spanish classes. This will allow you to better immerse yourself in (and respect) the local culture and learning another language is always a fun and useful skill to have!
Respectfully Moving to Mexico
To end this post, I think it’s important to emphasize the privilege of being able to move to another country and enjoy the many beautiful ways of life a new place has to offer. This privilege, ability and ease of movement is not distributed equally. As a US citizen who works remotely, I am easily able to pack up and move/travel to Mexico for any reason, whereas many Mexican citizens are not easily able to move/travel to the United States. This unfair reality means it is even more the duty of those of us who are able to relocate to a new place to do so in the most non-damaging and respectful way possible.
When moving to a new place, it’s so important to do it responsibly, kindly and to support the local economy. This is especially important as when an influx of foreigners move to places that are deemed “inexpensive,” the living costs for locals go up. For me, recognizing how fortunate I am to have these opportunities, and living in a respectful way that supported the local economy without “taking” too much back from it, was essential for me when I decided to spend some time living in PV.
Living in Puerto Vallarta as a digital nomad or expat is truly a wonderful experience. The city has everything you need while also being charming, packed with activities and brimming with delicious food. If you have any questions about moving and living in Puerto Vallarta, please let me know in the comments! Be sure to also follow us on Instagram, @twosistersabroad, for more Puerto Vallarta mini guides and travel inspiration.
Other posts to check out:
- The Best Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta – Essential Guide for Foodies
- 13 Fun and Unique Things to do in Puerto Vallarta
- 10 Fun and Unique Things to do in Punta Mita, Mexico
- What to Wear in Mexico – Vacation Lookbook and Outfit Inspiration
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♡Kate
Note: This guide to living in Puerto Vallarta includes affiliate links. Read our disclosure here.
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