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: $1,095 in Calama versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,605 in Calama versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,115 in Calama versus $3,245 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 18% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.17 CLP 7,599

$13.14 MX$227

-37.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.06 CLP 30.8K

$53.5 MX$926

-38.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 CLP 7,466

$9.33 MX$161

-14.04%

Cappuccino

$2.10 CLP 1,951

$3.70 MX$64.0

-43.24%

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

$1.00 CLP 932

$1.60 MX$27.76

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 874

$1.12 MX$19.34

-16.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 CLP 3,086

$3.14 MX$54.3

5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 CLP 3,846

$4.85 MX$83.9

-14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,140

$1.65 MX$28.61

-26.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CLP 1,409

$2.71 MX$46.96

-44.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 CLP 1,781

$1.91 MX$33.03

Eggs

$3.45 CLP 3,209

$2.59 MX$44.81

33.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 CLP 9,869

$9.81 MX$170

8.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 CLP 6,325

$8.43 MX$146

-19.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 10.0K

$11.93 MX$206

-9.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CLP 1,698

$2.95 MX$51.1

-37.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,463

$1.74 MX$30.10

-9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,493

$2.04 MX$35.38

-21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CLP 1,355

$2.06 MX$35.64

-29.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,188

$2.15 MX$37.20

-40.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 CLP 1,300

$2.26 MX$39.02

-38.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,127

$1.39 MX$23.97

-12.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,092

$1.12 MX$19.31

4.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 CLP 5,100

$4.22 MX$73.0

29.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 CLP 5,348

$17.51 MX$303

-67.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CLP 1,452

$1.71 MX$29.58

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CLP 2,164

$3.63 MX$62.8

-35.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 CLP 533

$0.35 MX$6.10

62.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 472

$1.38 MX$23.80

-63.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CLP 1,356

$0.28 MX$4.77

421.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 CLP 1,481

$1.36 MX$23.50

16.91%

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

$19.3K CLP 18.0M

$19.1K MX$330.5K

1.22%

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

$21.4K CLP 19.9M

$23.6K MX$408.4K

-9.50%

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

$134 CLP 124.8K

$40.53 MX$701

230.92%

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

$13.74 CLP 12.8K

$27.38 MX$474

-49.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.91 CLP 20.4K

$30.38 MX$526

-27.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.09 CLP 35.4K

$52.2 MX$903

-27.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.35 CLP 19.9K

$26.48 MX$458

-19.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 CLP 5,414

$6.19 MX$107

-5.98%

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

$443 CLP 412.5K

$425 MX$7,355

4.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CLP 47.9K

$58.3 MX$1,009

-11.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.75 CLP 27.7K

$44.57 MX$771

-33.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 CLP 56.5K

$103 MX$1,791

-41.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 CLP 76.4K

$109 MX$1,881

-24.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 CLP 322.1K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-65.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 CLP 344.4K

$623 MX$10.8K

-40.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 CLP 791.9K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-59.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 CLP 555.2K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-51.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,455 CLP 1.4M

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-61.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,265 CLP 1.2M

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-40.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,184 CLP 1.1M

$1,052 MX$18.2K

12.50%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $346 in Calama and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 12% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $293 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 34% 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.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Calama, 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: $346 in Calama versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,095 per month in Calama versus $1,472 in Mexico City – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,095 in Calama versus $1,472 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 $1,095 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 34% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.