A perpendicular magnetic recording medium and a magnetic recording device with the medium are disclosed. Ferromagnetic crystal grains in a granular magnetic recording layer are grown with a constant grain diameter in a columnar shape, and the nonmagnetic grain boundaries comprise at least two types of oxides or nitrides, preferably of elements selected from Cr, Si, Al, Ti, Ta, Hf, Zr, Y, Ce, and B. The maximum G1 of absolute values of standard Gibbs free energy of formation for oxidation of ferromagnetic elements composing the ferromagnetic crystal grains, the minimum G2 and the second smallest G3 of absolute values of standard Gibbs free energy of formation per 1 mol of oxygen molecules for oxidation of elements composing the nonmagnetic grain boundaries satisfy inequalities G1<G2<G3 and (G2−G1)>(G3−G2) and G3−G2 is preferably smaller than 200 kJ / mol. The oxides can be replaced by nitrides, in which case the maximum G11 of absolute values of standard Gibbs free energy of formation per one mole of nitrogen molecules in nitridation of ferromagnetic elements composing the ferromagnetic crystal grain, and the minimum G12 and the second smallest G13 of absolute values of standard Gibbs free energy of formation per one mole of nitrogen molecules in nitridation of elements composing the nonmagnetic grain boundary satisfy the following inequalities G11<G12<G13 and (G12−G11)>(G13−G12), and G13−G12 is preferably smaller than 200 kJ / mol.