Climate
Cabo San Lucas logs 27 hot days a year to Puerto Vallarta's 6 — Puerto Vallarta wins by 21. Cabo San Lucas also leads on outdoor-dinner months by 3.
Cabo San Lucas
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Puerto Vallarta
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Cost of Living
Puerto Vallarta is $239/mo cheaperCabo San Lucas runs about $2,176/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Puerto Vallarta's $1,937/mo — Puerto Vallarta comes in $239 cheaper each month, roughly 12% less.
Cabo San Lucas
$2,176monthly · balanced
Puerto Vallarta
$1,937monthly · balanced
Mobility
On mobility, Puerto Vallarta scores 2.6 vs Cabo San Lucas's 2.0 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on walkability.
Culture
Puerto Vallarta's culture score of 2.3 sits well above Cabo San Lucas's 0.6, with the biggest gap on theatre & performing arts.
Nature & Outdoors
Puerto Vallarta's nature & outdoors score of 4.5 sits well above Cabo San Lucas's 3.5, with the biggest gap on forest access. Cabo San Lucas still holds an edge on scuba & snorkeling.
Safety
Puerto Vallarta's safety score is ~1.5× Cabo San Lucas's — below average, while Cabo San Lucas lands below average, with the biggest gap on walking safety. Cabo San Lucas still holds an edge on wildfire safety.
Career
Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta score neck-and-neck on career (1.4 vs 1.6, 0–5 scale).
Social & Community
Puerto Vallarta's social & community score of 3.2 sits well above Cabo San Lucas's 2.7, with the biggest gap on expat-first community.
Food & Dining
On food & dining, Puerto Vallarta scores 2.6 vs Cabo San Lucas's 2.0 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on brunch availability.
Family
On family, Puerto Vallarta scores 2.0 vs Cabo San Lucas's 1.6 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on international schools. Cabo San Lucas still holds an edge on wellness/spa.
Healthcare
Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta score neck-and-neck on healthcare (3.0 vs 3.0, 0–5 scale).
Air Quality
Cabo San Lucas averages 10.3 µg/m³ (moderate) PM2.5 annually versus Puerto Vallarta's 8.5 µg/m³ (good) — Puerto Vallarta breathes ~18% cleaner air (1.8 µg/m³ lower).
Cabo San Lucas
Puerto Vallarta
PM2.5 annual average
WHO classification
City Scale
Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.
Cabo San Lucas (256K) and Puerto Vallarta (190K) are 1.3x in population — Cabo San Lucas is the larger metro, Puerto Vallarta the smaller.
These cities are similar in overall scale
Combined population & area comparison
Cabo San LucasPuerto VallartaCity Scale Rankings
Cabo San Lucas256K1.3xPuerto Vallarta190K1xPuerto Vallarta45 km²1.1xCabo San Lucas41 km²1xCabo San Lucas
Puerto Vallarta
Who Thrives Here
Puerto Vallarta is the stronger fit for the mountain seeker. Both cities work well for the ocean lover.
Also compared
Frequently asked about Cabo San Lucas vs Puerto Vallarta
▶Which is cheaper, Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Vallarta?
▶How does the climate compare between Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta?
▶Is Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Vallarta safer?
▶Should I move to Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Vallarta?
The best city depends on what matters to you
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