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: $589 in Coquimbo versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $978 in Coquimbo versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,367 in Coquimbo versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Coquimbo costs roughly 55% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Coquimbo 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 CLP 6,857

$11.96 MX$203

-39.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.64 CLP 44.8K

$47.38 MX$804

0.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.34 CLP 5,963

$11.75 MX$199

-46.04%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CLP 3,600

$4.12 MX$70.0

-7.04%

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

$1.19 CLP 1,123

$1.40 MX$23.74

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 1,030

$0.91 MX$15.48

19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 CLP 4,138

$3.21 MX$54.4

37.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 CLP 4,666

$7.07 MX$120

-29.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 CLP 995

$1.68 MX$28.44

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 CLP 3,059

$2.15 MX$36.48

51.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 CLP 1,190

$1.77 MX$30.10

-28.81%

Eggs

$2.73 CLP 2,565

$2.82 MX$47.76

-3.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 CLP 7,909

$9.20 MX$156

-8.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,326

$2.95 MX$50.1

-52.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,766

$1.58 MX$26.79

18.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 CLP 978

$2.22 MX$37.70

-53.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 CLP 947

$2.36 MX$40.09

-57.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 CLP 1,174

$1.98 MX$33.58

-36.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 CLP 581

$1.24 MX$21.04

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CLP 1,319

$1.21 MX$20.55

15.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 CLP 5,063

$4.60 MX$78.1

16.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 CLP 8,219

$10.52 MX$178

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CLP 4,410

$2.77 MX$47.06

69.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 CLP 820

$0.60 MX$10.22

45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CLP 1,344

$1.54 MX$26.09

-7.14%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$108 CLP 102.1K

$90.7 MX$1,538

19.64%

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

$12.82 CLP 12.1K

$25.19 MX$427

-49.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.94 CLP 25.4K

$68.8 MX$1,167

-60.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.31 CLP 4,997

$29.37 MX$498

-81.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 CLP 4,110

$4.86 MX$82.5

-10.08%

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

$264 CLP 248.5K

$226 MX$3,828

17.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.3K CLP 28.5M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

623.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.50 CLP 45.6K

$47.38 MX$804

2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.66 CLP 25.1K

$43.45 MX$737

-38.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 CLP 60.6K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 CLP 80.8K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 CLP 594.0K

$773 MX$13.1K

-18.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-56.33%

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

Last update for Coquimbo: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 23% 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 Coquimbo vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $160 vs $278, 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 122% in total monthly costs ($589 vs $1,305 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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.

Childcare runs $264 in Coquimbo versus $226 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 $48.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $589 in Coquimbo versus $1,305 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 122% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.