Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Calama and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,083 in Calama versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,617 in Calama versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,150 in Calama versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Calama costs roughly 14% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.15 CLP 7,591

$11.99 MX$210

-32.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 CLP 31.0K

$41.78 MX$733

-20.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 CLP 7,356

$10.75 MX$189

-26.51%

Cappuccino

$2.11 CLP 1,963

$3.50 MX$61.3

-39.71%

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

$0.98 CLP 914

$1.45 MX$25.41

-32.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 CLP 865

$0.88 MX$15.52

5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 CLP 3,067

$2.95 MX$51.7

11.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 CLP 3,862

$4.51 MX$79.1

-7.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,148

$1.43 MX$25.12

-13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,419

$1.84 MX$32.23

-17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,756

$1.57 MX$27.51

20.38%

Eggs

$3.51 CLP 3,267

$2.51 MX$44.06

39.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.63 CLP 9,897

$8.28 MX$145

28.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 CLP 6,083

$8.43 MX$148

-22.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 CLP 10.3K

$10.68 MX$187

3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,766

$2.61 MX$45.76

-27.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,404

$1.44 MX$25.22

4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,419

$1.96 MX$34.41

-22.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 CLP 1,348

$2.09 MX$36.74

-30.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,153

$1.85 MX$32.47

-32.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 CLP 1,297

$2.17 MX$38.02

-35.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 CLP 1,141

$1.03 MX$18.09

18.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,091

$1.07 MX$18.84

9.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 CLP 4,921

$4.10 MX$72.0

28.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 CLP 5,512

$10.17 MX$178

-41.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CLP 1,487

$1.68 MX$29.38

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CLP 2,071

$2.53 MX$44.31

-12.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 548

$0.51 MX$8.93

15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 471

$3.23 MX$56.7

-84.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 CLP 1,420

$2.41 MX$42.19

-36.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 CLP 1,438

$1.32 MX$23.17

16.67%

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

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-33.88%

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

$21.7K CLP 20.2M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-8.27%

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

$131 CLP 121.7K

$82.0 MX$1,439

59.32%

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

$13.71 CLP 12.8K

$22.95 MX$403

-40.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.29 CLP 20.8K

$30.11 MX$528

-25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.39 CLP 35.8K

$52.0 MX$912

-26.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.55 CLP 20.1K

$18.53 MX$325

16.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.70 CLP 5,309

$4.98 MX$87.3

14.46%

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

$432 CLP 402.4K

$197 MX$3,463

118.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

$35.60 MX$624

41.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.49 CLP 28.4K

$40.33 MX$707

-24.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 CLP 58.5K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-20.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 CLP 77.1K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 CLP 327.5K

$947 MX$16.6K

-62.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 CLP 351.8K

$474 MX$8,314

-20.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 CLP 788.6K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-48.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 CLP 549.4K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-51.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,467 CLP 1.4M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-63.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,276 CLP 1.2M

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-80.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,160 CLP 1.1M

$654 MX$11.5K

77.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.42

-54.64%

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

Last update for Calama: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $352 in Calama and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 77% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $249 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Playa del Carmen. 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 77% 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: $352 in Calama versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,083 per month in Calama versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,083 in Calama versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,083 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 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.