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: $1,068 in Coquimbo versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,617 in Coquimbo versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,165 in Coquimbo versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Coquimbo 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 CLP 7,642

$11.94 MX$209

-28.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 CLP 38.9K

$42.75 MX$748

2.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 CLP 7,030

$10.59 MX$185

-25.31%

Cappuccino

$2.70 CLP 2,405

$3.62 MX$63.4

-25.41%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,200

$1.47 MX$25.69

-8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CLP 901

$0.94 MX$16.51

7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,841

$3.09 MX$54.1

3.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 CLP 3,688

$4.46 MX$78.0

-6.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 CLP 971

$1.43 MX$24.94

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 CLP 1,402

$1.88 MX$32.97

-15.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 CLP 1,651

$1.63 MX$28.50

14.11%

Eggs

$3.51 CLP 3,121

$2.64 MX$46.26

32.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.30 CLP 9,162

$8.21 MX$144

25.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 CLP 5,779

$8.29 MX$145

-21.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 CLP 9,845

$11.10 MX$194

-0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,601

$2.65 MX$46.40

-32.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,407

$1.50 MX$26.26

5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,416

$1.99 MX$34.79

-20.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,332

$2.08 MX$36.33

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 CLP 1,140

$1.79 MX$31.29

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,203

$2.18 MX$38.09

-38.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 CLP 1,135

$1.08 MX$18.84

18.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 CLP 1,043

$1.04 MX$18.15

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.36 CLP 4,763

$3.97 MX$69.5

35.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 CLP 8,131

$10.20 MX$179

-10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CLP 1,396

$1.73 MX$30.22

-9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 CLP 1,961

$2.50 MX$43.71

-12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 CLP 549

$0.52 MX$9.07

19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 454

$3.14 MX$55.0

-83.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,233

$1.27 MX$22.28

9.45%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-37.52%

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

$21.3K CLP 18.9M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-8.70%

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

$134 CLP 119.3K

$82.0 MX$1,435

63.61%

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

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

$22.45 MX$393

-40.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 CLP 19.4K

$29.66 MX$519

-26.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.75 CLP 34.5K

$51.9 MX$908

-25.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.16 CLP 18.8K

$18.67 MX$327

13.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 CLP 5,171

$4.97 MX$87.0

16.90%

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

$431 CLP 383.3K

$198 MX$3,462

117.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 CLP 44.5K

$36.34 MX$636

37.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.98 CLP 26.7K

$40.05 MX$701

-25.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 CLP 54.9K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-22.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 CLP 73.8K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$472 CLP 419.4K

$963 MX$16.9K

-51.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 CLP 330.6K

$465 MX$8,133

-20.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 CLP 780.4K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-45.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 CLP 519.6K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-51.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$661 CLP 587.7K

$720 MX$12.6K

-8.26%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $472 in Coquimbo and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 9% 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: $44.00 in Coquimbo vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $251, 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

Coquimbo and Playa del Carmen differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $1,287 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 9% less. 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: $472 in Coquimbo versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $431 in Coquimbo versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Coquimbo – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,068 in Coquimbo versus $1,287 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.

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 Coquimbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.