Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,071 in Calama versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,603 in Calama versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,136 in Calama versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Calama costs roughly 26% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calama is 20% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 CLP 7,362

$12.98 MX$223

-36.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.14 CLP 29.8K

$52.6 MX$903

-37.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 CLP 7,121

$9.43 MX$162

-16.01%

Cappuccino

$2.14 CLP 1,920

$3.57 MX$61.3

-40.06%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 846

$1.61 MX$27.55

-41.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 CLP 854

$1.15 MX$19.81

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 CLP 2,839

$3.15 MX$54.0

0.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 CLP 3,659

$4.86 MX$83.4

-16.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,109

$1.70 MX$29.17

-27.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 CLP 1,409

$2.64 MX$45.23

-40.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,747

$1.90 MX$32.67

2.11%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,120

$2.54 MX$43.62

36.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CLP 9,279

$10.08 MX$173

2.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 CLP 5,847

$8.29 MX$142

-21.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 CLP 9,905

$11.57 MX$199

-4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,647

$3.03 MX$52.0

-39.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CLP 1,371

$1.71 MX$29.35

-10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,370

$2.05 MX$35.16

-25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,345

$2.06 MX$35.36

-27.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,149

$2.06 MX$35.43

-37.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,269

$2.17 MX$37.25

-35.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,137

$1.40 MX$24.08

-9.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,050

$1.12 MX$19.26

4.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.26 CLP 4,727

$4.29 MX$73.7

22.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 CLP 5,445

$15.41 MX$265

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,403

$1.67 MX$28.74

-6.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CLP 2,089

$3.69 MX$63.3

-37.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 529

$0.38 MX$6.55

55.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 459

$1.38 MX$23.70

-63.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CLP 1,327

$0.28 MX$4.74

428.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 CLP 1,424

$1.28 MX$21.98

23.44%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

1.64%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.1K CLP 19.0M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-10.08%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$134 CLP 120.1K

$41.02 MX$704

225.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

$26.92 MX$462

-50.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.23 CLP 20.0K

$29.69 MX$510

-25.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 CLP 34.9K

$52.3 MX$898

-25.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.27 CLP 19.1K

$26.23 MX$450

-18.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 CLP 5,010

$6.18 MX$106

-9.87%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$431 CLP 387.5K

$427 MX$7,331

0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 CLP 45.0K

$56.8 MX$975

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.88 CLP 26.9K

$44.83 MX$769

-33.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

$105 MX$1,794

-41.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.1 CLP 74.7K

$106 MX$1,819

-21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 CLP 320.1K

$995 MX$17.1K

-64.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 CLP 338.2K

$621 MX$10.7K

-39.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 CLP 761.6K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-60.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 CLP 537.9K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-52.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,473 CLP 1.3M

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-62.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,322 CLP 1.2M

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-36.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,175 CLP 1.1M

$1,107 MX$19.0K

6.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.34

-54.32%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Calama: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Calama and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Calama vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $288 per month, with Calama cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Calama vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Calama pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $356 in Calama versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,071 per month in Calama versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,071 in Calama versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,071 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calama hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.