Puerto Vallarta

Intro – Who This City Is For

Puerto Vallarta is a coastal city in Jalisco, Mexico that evolved from a small fishing village into one of the country’s most popular beach destinations, without completely losing its old-town charm.

It’s a strong choice for a winter stay if you want reliable sunshine, easy beach access, and a built-in expat community. Compared to Cancun or Cabo, the atmosphere feels more relaxed and culturally rooted. You still get tourism infrastructure, but with cobblestone streets, hillside neighborhoods, and local character mixed in.

During my time here, I met mostly snowbirds, retirees, and expats from the U.S. and Canada. The beaches are calm, the sunsets are spectacular, and the city feels comfortable.

Who will love it:

• People looking for a beachside town, don’t mind hilly terrain.
• Sunset enthusiasts.
• For people that want an expat community.
• The most LGBTQ friendly place in all of Mexico (Zona Romantica Neighborhood).

Who should avoid it:

• People who want to really immerse themselves and practice Spanish.
  • In the main areas, I found it harder to practice as people would reply in English.
• Budget travelers looking for ultra-cheap Mexico

One personal anecdote: It is a good introduction to experience the culture of Mexico if you have already been to the more commercial sides of Cancun and Cabo resort areas. While many locals speak English, knowing Spanish helps significantly — especially in smaller restaurants and shops.

I use Baselang for unlimited one-on-one Spanish lessons online. If you want to improve quickly before or during your stay, you can get a discount and try it here BASELANG

Best Areas to Stay

Zona Romantica

Who it’s for.

• Partiers, LGBTQ, people who want to be in the center of the action
• Pros: Always something going on, plenty of bars/restaurants, close to the beach
• Cons: Higher prices, higher noise levels

5 de Deciembre

Who it’s for.

• People who don’t mind a walk to the malecon, a quieter neighborhood
• Pros: Lower prices, more tranquil and local feel
• Cons: Longer walks to centro for the popular bars and restaurants, bus service not as frequent.

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Where I Stayed

• Casa Amor
• Type of accommodation: Hotel/house share. Private room, but shared common areas. Nice breakfast in the morning. Great Owners!
• Monthly cost: $45 / night. Longer and off airBNB would likely be cheaper.
• Noise level: 2/5 - On a somewhat busy road. But this is Mexico, it will always be noisy.
• X Factor: You get daily breakfast with other guests. I met some nice people, all 30 years my senior.
• Would I stay again? Yes

Nearby Necessities

• Restaurant: Lolita
• Local gym
• Local Supermarket

Things to Do

🌊 Nature

• Mirador Hike - This is a moderate hike. Go earlier or just before sunset.
• Many beaches are along the coast. My favorite was Playa Camerones

Walking to the Mirador

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🍽 Food & Drink

• Mexican is one of my favorite cuisines. On the coast, shrimp and fish tacos are supreme.
• Kosta Taco

• Mariscos el Guero

🏛 Culture

• Live Music and Dancing at La Bodeguita del Medio Vallarta
• Zona Romantica at night

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• Explore the Malecon during the day

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🚗 Day Trips

• I stayed in town but I have heard of people heading to nearby Sayulita and Bucerías.

Working Remotely

• Coworking options: I worked from my accommodation
• Power outages? Sometimes
• SIM / eSIM options: Local providers like Telcel, Movistar are available at airport kiosk. I had service though my U.S Provider, Verizon
• Is it productive or distracting? During the hotter months you are typically forced inside in the A/C. So it could make you productive.

Transportation

Getting there and immigration.

• International airport is PVR. From DEN, Frontier has weekly flights. I used my GoWild pass and paid $89 to get to Mexico. https://www.flyfrontier.com/deals/gowild-pass/
• The auto gates at immigration gave me 180 days with my U.S Passport as of February of 2025

✈️ From the Airport:

• Cheapest Option:
  • Take a local bus.
  • 10MXN. Walk out the door past ALL the taxis, walk up and over the pedestrian bridge and catch a bus heading to “Centro” or “Zona Romantica”.
  • You pay as you board. Sometimes if the bus is super full you get on in the back and pass your change to the person in front to the driver. Always try to get a receipt.
• Mid range:
  • Uber: 200–400 MXN to Centro.
  • Nice if you have luggage and are secure.
• Official Airport taxi: The easiest and most expensive.

🚌 Public Transport:

• Local buses cost 10MXN (about $50 cents USD) per ride. There are no ‘transfers’ like the US and you pay per bus as your board.
• No official schedules that I know of and routes are labeled on the windshield.

🚶 Walkability:

• Zona Romantica: Very walkable cobblestone streets, everything 10-15min that you could want.
• Hotel Zone: I didn’t personally visit but is is very spread out and you need Taxis
• 5 de diciembre neighborhood (where I stayed): Nice walkable area, not close to the most popular spots but there are good options nearby.

⚠️ Things to Watch Out For:

• Vendors will come up and try to sell you things. A simple “No Gracias” is all it takes.
• Taxi’s don’t have a meter and could try and upcharge you. 80MXN for in town is the standard rate.

Cost of Living Estimates

• Rent: I paid $45/night for a private room. It can be cheaper off airbnb.
• Utilities: 500–1,500 MXN/month (AC usage matters a LOT)
• Eating Out:
  • Beer: 40–60 MXN at a bar
  • Street Tacos: 20–30 MXN each.
  • Local restaurant spot: 100–180 MXN
  • Casual sit down: 200–350 MXN
• If you’re staying long-term or traveling between countries, I personally use Genki for travel health insurance. Mexico is affordable for healthcare, but accidents happen.
• Genki travel health insurance GENKI

Pros

• Nice weather, great food, prices are not cheap but affordable compared to US rates.
• Friendly people, really helps if you know spanish
• Nice mix of locals and foreigners.
• The climate is nice and I really like the hilly / mountainous and being on the sea
• Sunsets

Cons

• Not the cheapest destination in Mexico
• If you want to get off the beaten path, this place can be strongly catered to the tourism market and daily prices and people switching to english reflect that.
• I had no issues here, but typically the more touristy a place the higher the scams/corruption levels I find.

FAQ

Is Puerto Vallarta safe?

I found it safe in the tourist zones. I did not bring or have valuables on me when going out and if it was after dark I took an uber. Local daytime buses were safe, though I wouldn’t bet on their maintenance history.

Would I Come Back?

I would absolutely return. The easy flight from DEN, similar time zone as the US, easygoing lifestyle and amazing food options make this a great destination. I wouldn’t spend my time here full time during the summer heat, but this is a really good destination. I would like to venture to other towns the next time I return.