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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,654 in Coquimbo versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,241 in Coquimbo versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Coquimbo costs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 CLP 8,213

$11.72 MX$204

-24.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.27 CLP 41.3K

$41.89 MX$731

5.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.15 CLP 7,606

$10.51 MX$183

-22.45%

Cappuccino

$2.84 CLP 2,650

$3.59 MX$62.5

-20.89%

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

$1.34 CLP 1,250

$1.51 MX$26.31

-11.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 951

$0.92 MX$15.96

10.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 CLP 3,068

$2.96 MX$51.6

11.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 CLP 3,961

$4.41 MX$76.9

-3.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 CLP 982

$1.40 MX$24.35

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 CLP 1,401

$1.88 MX$32.87

-20.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,819

$1.56 MX$27.19

25.00%

Eggs

$3.54 CLP 3,305

$2.61 MX$45.50

35.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 CLP 9,907

$8.32 MX$145

27.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.58 CLP 6,141

$8.35 MX$146

-21.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 CLP 10.1K

$10.86 MX$189

0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 CLP 1,699

$2.71 MX$47.31

-32.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,421

$1.51 MX$26.25

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CLP 1,433

$1.87 MX$32.67

-17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 CLP 1,403

$2.19 MX$38.19

-31.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,154

$1.86 MX$32.40

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 CLP 1,256

$2.23 MX$38.90

-39.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 CLP 1,132

$1.07 MX$18.63

13.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CLP 1,152

$1.09 MX$18.94

13.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.55 CLP 5,177

$4.19 MX$73.0

32.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 CLP 5,308

$10.43 MX$182

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,440

$1.66 MX$28.91

-7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 CLP 2,080

$2.61 MX$45.56

-14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 CLP 547

$0.54 MX$9.45

9.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 448

$3.08 MX$53.7

-84.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CLP 1,326

$1.31 MX$22.87

8.40%

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

$19.3K CLP 18.0M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-35.35%

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

$21.1K CLP 19.7M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-9.53%

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

$133 CLP 123.8K

$81.3 MX$1,418

63.31%

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

$13.63 CLP 12.7K

$22.56 MX$393

-39.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.86 CLP 20.4K

$30.05 MX$524

-27.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.84 CLP 36.2K

$52.9 MX$923

-26.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.51 CLP 20.1K

$18.39 MX$321

16.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.53 CLP 5,154

$4.92 MX$85.8

12.40%

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

$433 CLP 403.9K

$201 MX$3,502

115.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 CLP 46.7K

$35.92 MX$627

39.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.06 CLP 28.0K

$40.13 MX$700

-25.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.8 CLP 56.7K

$79.7 MX$1,390

-23.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 CLP 76.2K

$86.5 MX$1,508

-5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 CLP 451.7K

$978 MX$17.1K

-50.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 CLP 342.2K

$470 MX$8,206

-22.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 CLP 819.6K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-46.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 CLP 544.2K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-51.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$641 CLP 598.3K

$677 MX$11.8K

-5.20%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Coquimbo and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 5% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $252, 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 18% in total monthly costs ($1,068 vs $1,260 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $484 in Coquimbo versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $433 in Coquimbo versus $201 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,068 in Coquimbo versus $1,260 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 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.