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: $623 in Calama versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,267 in Calama versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,912 in Calama versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Calama costs roughly 52% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Calama 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.43 CLP 6,990

$11.96 MX$203

-37.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.77 CLP 31.8K

$47.38 MX$804

-28.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

Cappuccino

$2.12 CLP 1,994

$4.12 MX$70.0

-48.54%

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

$0.92 CLP 869

$1.40 MX$23.74

-34.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 880

$0.91 MX$15.48

3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 CLP 3,038

$3.21 MX$54.4

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.30 CLP 4,987

$7.07 MX$120

-25.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,123

$1.68 MX$28.44

-29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 CLP 796

$2.15 MX$36.48

-60.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 CLP 2,561

$1.77 MX$30.10

53.67%

Eggs

$5.01 CLP 4,714

$2.82 MX$47.76

77.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 CLP 8,955

$9.20 MX$156

3.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 CLP 6,187

$9.23 MX$157

-28.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 CLP 7,406

$12.64 MX$214

-37.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,173

$2.95 MX$50.1

-57.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,024

$1.58 MX$26.79

-31.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 CLP 1,525

$2.22 MX$37.70

-27.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 CLP 1,101

$2.36 MX$40.09

-50.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 CLP 934

$1.99 MX$33.81

-50.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 CLP 982

$1.98 MX$33.58

-47.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 CLP 5,024

$4.60 MX$78.1

16.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 CLP 4,120

$10.52 MX$178

-58.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 1,026

$1.69 MX$28.70

-35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,215

$2.77 MX$47.06

-53.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 CLP 887

$0.60 MX$10.22

56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CLP 1,399

$3.65 MX$61.9

-59.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 CLP 1,480

$1.54 MX$26.09

1.95%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$42.85 CLP 40.3K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-52.74%

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.75 CLP 12.9K

$31.75 MX$539

-56.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CLP 50.0K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-22.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.07 CLP 19.8K

$29.37 MX$498

-28.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 CLP 4,588

$4.86 MX$82.5

0.21%

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

$320 CLP 301.5K

$226 MX$3,828

41.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.10 CLP 35.9K

$47.38 MX$804

-19.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.59 CLP 27.9K

$43.45 MX$737

-31.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.34 CLP 44.5K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-40.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 CLP 60.6K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-29.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 CLP 332.5K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-67.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 CLP 101.9K

$409 MX$6,933

-73.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 CLP 794.3K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-57.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 CLP 601.4K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-50.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,487 CLP 1.4M

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-63.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 CLP 1.2M

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-80.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 CLP 1.1M

$773 MX$13.1K

50.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-56.33%

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

Last update for Calama: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Calama and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Calama vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $278 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 109% 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 51% 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: $353 in Calama versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $623 per month in Calama versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $623 in Calama versus $1,305 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 $623 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 109% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.