What to know before moving to Puerto Vallarta

👋 Hola! My name is Trisha and Puerto Vallarta is one of the places I lived in the longest. In this article, I will share with you what to know before moving to Puerto Vallarta, based on my personal experiences.

These are not your ordinary what to know before moving to Puerto Vallarta. I wanted to write this and focus more on the daily challenges and the everyday realities that are often not discussed in other forums or blogs.

From dealing with workers, nannies, and maids to the layout of Puerto Vallarta, you can expect honesty and real experiences on what I have gone through to make my life in Puerto Vallarta as smooth as possible.

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What to know before moving to Puerto Vallarta

1. Finding a housing in PV is challenging

Most foreigners I know want to live in Puerto Vallarta because it is still less touristy than Cancun or Quintana Roo. I feel like it’s only popular with those who want to live by the beach but does not want to be in tourist areas.

The most common living arrangement here is condos with three-bedroom apartments. There are also houses but they are going to be in different neighborhoods and will be discussed in the next item.

When finding housing in Puerto Vallarta, you need to do it at least 3 months in advance. But if you are moving to Puerto Vallarta during the high season (November-May), you need to do it 6 months before your intended move.

As a single woman with two dogs, finding apartments was easy since I am alone. When I helped an American family with 5 kids, it was kind of challenging since they wanted to have one room each for their children (4 rooms total for the family).

And to be honest with you, that size and living arrangement is difficult here unless you are willing to pay $5,000 rent in a good area.

I have many real estate agents and local contacts in Puerto Vallarta who can help you find apartments in Puerto Vallarta according to your liking. Just get in touch and I will connect you with them!

2. Puerto Vallarta is a big city

There are many neighborhoods in Puerto Vallarta but the most popular is Zona Romantica and rent here is very expensive. It is located in the touristy area of PV and there are many ocean view condos for rent here.

If you want a house, I recommend looking at Fluvial Vallarta (where Costco is located). The format here is not condo-living and it is a great neighborhood for expats with kids.

Marina Vallarta (near the airport) is also a great area but the set-up here is condo living. If you’re planning your move to Puerto Vallarta, make sure to explore and look at the map to familiarize yourself with the layout.

Here’s a quick run-down on the Puerto Vallarta Neighborhood profiles:

• Zona Romántica (Old Town): Famous for its vibrant streets, artistic flair, and a welcoming vibe for both couples and singles, this area is a cultural hotspot, ideal if you enjoy an active social scene.
• Marina Vallarta: More modern and family-oriented, it offers amenities like golf courses and upscale shopping. It’s particularly appealing if you’re looking for a balance between relaxation and convenience.
• Conchas Chinas & Amapas: These quieter residential areas offer ocean views, more privacy, and an authentic slice of local life, away from the busiest tourist routes.

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3. There are many big supermarkets in PV

Puerto Vallarta is one of the cities in Mexico that has Costco. There are also big Mexican supermarkets like La Comer and Mega.

Basically, you don’t have to worry about shopping. Everything you have back home (especially if you are from the USA and Canada) will be available in Puerto Vallarta.

I spent about $250 for every 2 weeks of shopping (for one person). You will find that cost of food in Mexico is affordable but this all depends on the size of your family and/or if you are single.

4. You need a car to live in Puerto Vallarta

Okay, need is a strong word but as I am used to having clients who want to move to Puerto Vallarta with kids, I always say they need a car.

When I first lived in Sayulita, I didn’t have a car and that worked out pretty well since Sayulita is not a car area. I only needed a ride if I was to go shopping in Puerto Vallarta.

Uber is widely used in Puerto Vallarta so if you don’t have kids and are single, you can definitely go by without a car.

If you’d like to explore nearby areas such as Sayulita, San Pancho, Punta Mita, etc regularly, then you may consider buying a car. Otherwise, you’re fine with Uber.

5. There are many expats living in Puerto Vallarta

If you want to find an English-speaking community, there are many expat and digital nomad groups in Puerto Vallarta.

My two best groups are Living in Puerto Vallarta and Puerto Vallarta Digital Nomads. You can read the posts, ask questions, and get valuable answers from expats who are already living here.

I understand that sometimes, when moving to a new area, you want the opinion of your fellow Americans/Canadians/British opinions so these are very good places to find these people.

In the end, it will also benefit you as you will be able to find friends and a community to belong to here.

6. There are International schools in Puerto Vallarta

If you are moving to Puerto Vallarta with kids and prefer them to go to an International school, there are many English-instructed schools here.

The pricing for International schools is from $700 – $3,500 a month, which is quite expensive. I also know some of my friends who have enrolled their kids in public school but these are the ones who are living here permanently.

I have some clients who are only staying here for a maximum of one year to test the waters so they prefer to enroll their children in international schools.

Some of the best International schools in Puerto Vallarta are the British-American School, Accelerated International School, American School of Puerto Vallarta, and Vallarta International Academy.

As I am not a mother and have no kids, I can’t really say what’s the best school but my team can always find out for you so get in touch with us!

7. Finding people to trust is hard

I’ve had to experience 3 different house cleaners, hundreds of delivery boys, and many carpenters before I cracked the code on who to trust.

No one has ever stolen from me before (thank God!) but my point is the quality of work in Mexico is usually very disappointing.

I’ve had many expat neighbors who said they have been stolen from or they paid service and it wasn’t rendered.

In this case, I feel like it’s a matter of being tenacious because Mexicans tend to have the mañana habit, a culture most Latin American countries inherited from the Spaniards.

You need to be extra patient because Mexicans will always tell you “tomorrow,” and you have to remind them constantly that there is work to do.

Before hiring people to do service at your home, make sure you did proper intel and asked your fellow expats for reference. I can pass my many contacts which I vetted personally if you need house cleaners, carpenters, repair people, etc.

8. You need to speak basic Spanish

As I speak Spanish fluently, #7 was not hard for me. I’ve always communicated clearly with the housekeepers and service people. Note that not everyone in Puerto Vallarta can speak English (except for people in the hospitality industry).

I always tell friends, family, and clients who want to move to Puerto Vallarta to at least know basic Spanish. If you want to live in another country, I consider this the biggest form of respect for the culture you are integrated into.

Some of us say learning another language is hard or we don’t have the brain capacity for it but believe me, if you are living in a Spanish-speaking country, you will learn very quickly as it is your environment.

I can recommend a few Spanish teachers and Spanish lessons who I trust. If you have the time, better learn 1 hour a day before your big move to Puerto Vallarta.

9. Internet in Puerto Vallarta is fair/good

There are many Internet providers in Puerto Vallarta and all of them are great. I am saying this because I lived in many areas in Mexico (particularly beach towns) that have a very poor Internet connection.

Telmex is the biggest provider in Mexico and is widely used in PV. Fiber optic connection is less than $25 a month but the connectivity depends on the area you are going to live in.

There is no way for you to know if Telmex works in your area unless they do a deep check in your home. From there, they will tell you if your house is suitable for fiber optic Internet.

It happened to me when I moved to a hilly home in Puerto Vallarta. Telmex informed me that there is no fiber optic on my street so I had to go to another provider and pay $150 per month.

International providers always have fiber optic but Telmex is just cheaper. I really needed fast Internet so I did not mind paying a higher price.

10. You can do many day trips from Puerto Vallarta

While there are many things to do in Puerto Vallarta, you will also be close to small towns like Bucerias, Sayulita, and San Pancho.

All of these are already in the state of Nayarit as Puerto Vallarta is on the border of Jalisco and Nayarit states. There will be lots of opportunities for travel and you can easily get to these small towns for an hour.

11. Puerto Vallarta is pet-friendly

Dogs are allowed on Puerto Vallarta beaches, and you can also bring them to all restaurants. I find PV the most pet-friendly city in Puerto Vallarta. I never had problems with my dogs here.

Of course, you have to disclose to landlords in Puerto Vallarta that you have pets (dogs or cats). The area might be pet-friendly but finding a landlord that is OK with pets is HARD.

Personally, I did not find this a challenge because I speak Spanish and can communicate with the landlords well about the behavior of my dogs.

But if you are a total foreigner and you don’t know how to talk to Mexican landlords regarding your pets, this will be an issue. There is a correct approach when it comes to talking about your dogs.

And honestly, it is a skill.

12. There are many hospitals in Puerto Vallarta

Mexico has surprisingly good hospitals and there is a lot in Puerto Vallarta. In fact, they are in every area so it will be easy for you to reach one in case of emergency.

Now that I am living in Los Cabos, I fully appreciate how Puerto Vallarta hospital expenses are way cheaper! I’ve been to the hospital in both cities and the amount they charge in Cabo is triple than it is in PV.

As a resident visa holder, I use digital nomad insurance which costs me $40 per month. So far, I never had problems with insurance claims with them.

13. Everyone expects to be paid in cash

You can use credit cards in all restaurants, hotels, resorts, etc but most people still want to accept cash and that includes your landlord.

Mexicans don’t want to pay taxes because they don’t benefit anything from it. If you pay your rent through bank transfer, the owner will have to pay taxes for it and they don’t want that.

Applying for a Mexican tax number is also very tedious as you have to go through long lines and crazy processes so Mexicans don’t like to do it, especially if it’s not required.

The problem is most Mexican ATMs can only give you $450 per day withdrawal so imagine if you are paying $3,500 rent in cash, you have to go to the ATM a lot.

Alternatively, you can also withdraw the full amount over the counter but this is only if you have a Mexican bank account.

Always make sure you have cash as housekeepers, workers, technicians, repair men, etc only accepts cash.

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