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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,069 in Coquimbo versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,622 in Coquimbo versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Coquimbo versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Coquimbo costs roughly 16% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Coquimbo 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Coquimbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.66 CLPΒ 7,783
$11.87 MX$204
-27.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.66 CLPΒ 40.1K
$42.90 MX$736
4.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.21 CLPΒ 7,378
$10.65 MX$183
-22.91%
Cappuccino
$2.72 CLPΒ 2,441
$3.45 MX$59.2
-21.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 CLPΒ 1,165
$1.50 MX$25.81
-13.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 CLPΒ 915
$0.95 MX$16.28
7.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 CLPΒ 2,883
$3.03 MX$51.9
5.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.06 CLPΒ 3,650
$4.61 MX$79.1
-11.93%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Coquimbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 CLPΒ 950
$1.38 MX$23.61
-23.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.53 CLPΒ 1,374
$1.85 MX$31.70
-17.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 CLPΒ 1,726
$1.61 MX$27.65
19.25%
Eggs
$3.43 CLPΒ 3,079
$2.59 MX$44.51
32.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.34 CLPΒ 9,295
$8.26 MX$142
25.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.72 CLPΒ 6,039
$8.37 MX$144
-19.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.79 CLPΒ 9,695
$10.66 MX$183
1.22%
Apples (1kg)
$1.82 CLPΒ 1,633
$2.63 MX$45.12
-30.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 CLPΒ 1,362
$1.49 MX$25.53
2.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 CLPΒ 1,391
$1.92 MX$32.94
-19.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.45 CLPΒ 1,304
$2.09 MX$35.81
-30.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.27 CLPΒ 1,143
$1.86 MX$31.88
-31.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.42 CLPΒ 1,277
$2.26 MX$38.81
-37.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 CLPΒ 1,141
$1.06 MX$18.23
19.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 CLPΒ 1,068
$1.09 MX$18.67
9.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.51 CLPΒ 4,950
$4.15 MX$71.2
32.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.02 CLPΒ 5,411
$10.39 MX$178
-42.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 CLPΒ 1,402
$1.72 MX$29.59
-9.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 CLPΒ 1,988
$2.61 MX$44.85
-15.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Coquimbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 CLPΒ 564
$0.54 MX$9.30
16.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.94 MX$462
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 CLPΒ 419
$3.13 MX$53.7
-84.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.51 MX$43.09
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.15 MX$54.1
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 CLPΒ 1,235
$1.27 MX$21.88
7.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.6K CLPΒ 17.6M
$30.4K MX$521.3K
-35.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K CLPΒ 19.1M
$23.6K MX$404.5K
-9.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coquimbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$132 CLPΒ 118.9K
$83.0 MX$1,425
59.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.32 CLPΒ 12.0K
$22.71 MX$390
-41.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.78 CLPΒ 19.6K
$29.46 MX$506
-26.07%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Coquimbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.95 CLPΒ 34.1K
$51.0 MX$875
-25.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.29 CLPΒ 19.1K
$18.33 MX$315
16.15%
Cinema Ticket
$5.81 CLPΒ 5,222
$4.93 MX$84.5
17.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Coquimbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$438 CLPΒ 394.0K
$197 MX$3,386
122.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$5,280 MX$90.6K
-
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Coquimbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.6 CLPΒ 46.4K
$36.90 MX$633
39.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.86 CLPΒ 26.8K
$39.89 MX$685
-25.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$62.1 CLPΒ 55.8K
$80.0 MX$1,373
-22.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.2 CLPΒ 74.8K
$89.5 MX$1,536
-7.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Coquimbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$486 CLPΒ 436.4K
$956 MX$16.4K
-49.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 CLPΒ 335.5K
$477 MX$8,189
-21.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$892 CLPΒ 801.6K
$1,646 MX$28.3K
-45.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$592 CLPΒ 531.7K
$1,225 MX$21.0K
-51.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,918 MX$67.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Coquimbo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$661 CLPΒ 594.3K
$667 MX$11.4K
-0.85%
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 Coquimbo: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $486 in Coquimbo and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 1% 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: $45.00 in Coquimbo vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $250, with Coquimbo 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
Coquimbo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Coquimbo and Playa del Carmen?
Coquimbo and Playa del Carmen differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,069 vs $1,271 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Coquimbo and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $486 in Coquimbo versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Coquimbo and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $438 in Coquimbo versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Coquimbo – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,069 in Coquimbo versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Coquimbo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Coquimbo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Coquimbo and Playa del Carmen?
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.
Where should expats move: Coquimbo or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Coquimbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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