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Guides/The cheapest cities to live in Latin America

Ranking

The cheapest cities to live in Latin America

For North Americans especially, Latin America pairs low costs with the same time zones and an easy flight home. These are the cheapest Latin American cities in our data, ranked by cost of living (Numbeo index, NYC = 100). Safety varies more here than in other regions, so each row shows it plainly alongside healthcare.

CityCost index (NYC=100)
  1. 1Cusco · PeruPeru · moderate safety · lower healthcare22
  2. 2Cali · ColombiaColombia · lower safety · high healthcare22
  3. 3Quito · EcuadorEcuador · lower safety · high healthcare23
  4. 4Rio de Janeiro · BrazilBrazil · lower safety · lower healthcare24
  5. 5Bogotá · ColombiaColombia · lower safety · moderate healthcare24
  6. 6Florianópolis · BrazilBrazil · moderate safety · moderate healthcare25
  7. 7Medellín · ColombiaColombia · moderate safety · high healthcare26
  8. 8Lima · PeruPeru · lower safety · moderate healthcare26
  9. 9Valparaíso · ChileChile · lower safety · lower healthcare27
  10. 10São Paulo · BrazilBrazil · lower safety · moderate healthcare28
  11. 11Cartagena · ColombiaColombia · moderate safety · lower healthcare28
  12. 12Mendoza · ArgentinaArgentina · lower safety · moderate healthcare28
  13. 13Oaxaca · MexicoMexico · moderate safety · high healthcare28
  14. 14Santiago · ChileChile · lower safety · moderate healthcare30
  15. 15Antigua · GuatemalaGuatemala · lower safety · moderate healthcare30
  16. 16Mérida · MexicoMexico · high safety · high healthcare30
  17. 17Guadalajara · MexicoMexico · lower safety · high healthcare32
  18. 18Bocas del Toro · PanamaPanama · moderate safety · moderate healthcare33
  19. 19Puerto Vallarta · MexicoMexico · high safety · high healthcare33
  20. 20Buenos Aires · ArgentinaArgentina · lower safety · high healthcare34
  21. 21Mexico City · MexicoMexico · lower safety · moderate healthcare38
  22. 22Playa del Carmen · MexicoMexico · moderate safety · high healthcare38
  23. 23Panama City · PanamaPanama · moderate safety · moderate healthcare38
  24. 24Montevideo · UruguayUruguay · lower safety · high healthcare39
  25. 25San José · Costa RicaCosta Rica · lower safety · moderate healthcare39

Ranked from our city + feasibility data (banded, directional). Visa and tax rules change — verify current rules before you move. Updated 2026-06.

Latin America rewards specificity — safety, healthcare, and feel differ sharply not just country to country but city to city. Use this to find the value, then let the assessment weigh it against what you actually need.

Common questions

What is the cheapest city to live in Latin America?

By our cost index, the cheapest Latin American cities span Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Central America — the ranking above orders them. Because safety varies widely in the region, each row shows the city's safety read alongside the price.

Where in Latin America is cheapest and safest to live?

Several mid-size cities in Mexico, Colombia (Medellín), and parts of Central America pair low cost with higher safety, but it's genuinely city-specific. Each city's page carries the sourced safety and healthcare data so you can weigh both.

Which of these fits you?

A list is a place to start, not a way to choose. The assessment reads every city through your relocation profile — and surfaces the ones that fit the life you’re trying to build.

Take the assessment →