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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $897 in Chillan versus $1,265 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,341 in Chillan versus $2,314 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Chillan versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chillan costs roughly 29% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chillan 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.24 CLP 4,945

$11.48 MX$199

-54.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.89 CLP 45.2K

$46.90 MX$811

2.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 CLP 5,925

$11.90 MX$206

-47.23%

Cappuccino

$3.55 CLP 3,346

$4.02 MX$69.6

-11.69%

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

$1.10 CLP 1,034

$1.37 MX$23.66

-19.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 CLP 858

$0.82 MX$14.11

10.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 CLP 1,463

$3.30 MX$57.1

-53.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CLP 4,422

$6.71 MX$116

-30.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 CLP 1,028

$1.64 MX$28.40

-33.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 CLP 1,648

$2.15 MX$37.17

-18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 CLP 1,712

$1.77 MX$30.65

2.26%

Eggs

$3.81 CLP 3,599

$2.75 MX$47.60

38.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 CLP 6,762

$9.15 MX$158

-21.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.66 CLP 2,510

$9.23 MX$160

-71.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.42 CLP 7,945

$12.41 MX$215

-32.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,464

$2.90 MX$50.2

-46.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 CLP 1,614

$1.50 MX$25.92

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 CLP 1,226

$2.16 MX$37.38

-39.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 CLP 1,000

$2.25 MX$38.84

-52.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,411

$2.02 MX$34.98

-25.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 CLP 1,239

$2.02 MX$34.96

-35.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 CLP 993

$1.19 MX$20.66

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,213

$1.13 MX$19.63

14.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.71 CLP 4,441

$4.43 MX$76.6

6.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.37 CLP 3,178

$10.63 MX$184

-68.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CLP 1,211

$1.68 MX$29.01

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 CLP 1,943

$2.90 MX$50.2

-28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 CLP 608

$0.60 MX$10.44

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.03 CLP 34.9K

$29.09 MX$503

27.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 CLP 605

$5.32 MX$92.0

-87.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 CLP 1,138

$3.57 MX$61.7

-66.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.41 CLP 11.7K

$5.88 MX$102

111.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,301

$1.51 MX$26.09

-8.61%

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

$12.7K CLP 12.0M

$22.3K MX$386.6K

-43.11%

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

$15.1K CLP 14.3M

$25.7K MX$443.8K

-40.98%

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

$134 CLP 126.3K

$90.6 MX$1,566

47.79%

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

$10.42 CLP 9,833

$25.44 MX$440

-59.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.57 CLP 22.2K

$30.61 MX$530

-23.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.86 CLP 15.0K

$66.9 MX$1,158

-76.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.65 CLP 15.7K

$29.47 MX$510

-43.50%

Cinema Ticket

$11.42 CLP 10.8K

$4.91 MX$84.9

132.59%

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

$216 MX$3,730

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,125 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.41 CLP 35.3K

$46.02 MX$796

-18.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.20 CLP 18.1K

$44.24 MX$765

-56.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.74 CLP 46.9K

$78.4 MX$1,356

-36.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.7 CLP 61.0K

$92.0 MX$1,592

-29.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 CLP 299.2K

$1,061 MX$18.4K

-70.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 CLP 241.9K

$394 MX$6,818

-34.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 CLP 432.1K

$2,120 MX$36.7K

-78.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 CLP 312.3K

$1,259 MX$21.8K

-73.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,505 CLP 2.4M

$4,072 MX$70.4K

-38.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,459 CLP 2.3M

$6,606 MX$114.3K

-62.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$693 CLP 654.2K

$752 MX$13.0K

-7.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Chillan: September 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Chillan and $1,061 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Chillan vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $274, with Chillan cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chillan vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chillan and Playa del Carmen differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($897 vs $1,265 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $317 in Chillan versus $1,061 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $897 per month in Chillan versus $1,265 in Playa del Carmen – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $897 in Chillan versus $1,265 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chillan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chillan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chillan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.