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: $1,041 in Chillan versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,531 in Chillan versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,020 in Chillan versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chillan costs roughly 17% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chillan 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 CLP 5,104

$11.72 MX$203

-53.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.86 CLP 25.0K

$41.89 MX$725

-35.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 CLP 5,737

$10.51 MX$182

-41.29%

Cappuccino

$2.96 CLP 2,754

$3.59 MX$62.0

-17.55%

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

$0.92 CLP 853

$1.51 MX$26.10

-39.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 877

$0.92 MX$15.83

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 CLP 3,349

$2.96 MX$51.2

21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 CLP 3,942

$4.41 MX$76.3

-3.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 CLP 1,025

$1.40 MX$24.16

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 CLP 1,640

$1.88 MX$32.60

-6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 CLP 1,777

$1.56 MX$26.97

22.44%

Eggs

$3.91 CLP 3,636

$2.61 MX$45.14

49.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.75 CLP 7,210

$8.32 MX$144

-6.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 CLP 6,257

$8.35 MX$145

-19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 CLP 10.2K

$10.86 MX$188

0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 CLP 1,743

$2.71 MX$46.93

-31.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,413

$1.51 MX$26.04

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,436

$1.87 MX$32.41

-17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 CLP 1,408

$2.19 MX$37.89

-31.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 CLP 1,200

$1.86 MX$32.14

-30.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 CLP 1,320

$2.23 MX$38.59

-36.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,180

$1.07 MX$18.48

18.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,130

$1.09 MX$18.79

11.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 CLP 4,982

$4.19 MX$72.4

27.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.49 CLP 3,251

$10.43 MX$180

-66.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,434

$1.66 MX$28.68

-7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,072

$2.61 MX$45.19

-14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 CLP 624

$0.54 MX$9.37

24.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 474

$3.08 MX$53.3

-83.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CLP 1,257

$1.31 MX$22.69

3.05%

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

$12.9K CLP 12.0M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-56.63%

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

$15.8K CLP 14.7M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-32.39%

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

$134 CLP 124.8K

$81.3 MX$1,406

65.05%

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

$13.47 CLP 12.5K

$22.56 MX$390

-40.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 CLP 22.5K

$30.05 MX$520

-19.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.76 CLP 15.6K

$52.9 MX$915

-68.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.91 CLP 19.5K

$18.39 MX$318

13.70%

Cinema Ticket

$12.09 CLP 11.2K

$4.92 MX$85.1

145.73%

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

$432 CLP 402.0K

$201 MX$3,474

115.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

$35.92 MX$622

40.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.90 CLP 27.8K

$40.13 MX$694

-25.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.5 CLP 46.9K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-36.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 CLP 61.8K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 CLP 441.9K

$978 MX$16.9K

-51.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 CLP 353.4K

$470 MX$8,140

-19.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 CLP 426.8K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-72.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 CLP 544.1K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-51.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,520 CLP 2.3M

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-61.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$698 CLP 649.3K

$677 MX$11.7K

3.13%

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 Chillan: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Chillan and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chillan pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Chillan vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $252 per month, with Chillan 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

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

Chillan and Playa del Carmen differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,041 vs $1,260 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Chillan, 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: $475 in Chillan versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Chillan versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,041 in Chillan versus $1,260 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 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.