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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Curico versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,413 in Curico versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,876 in Curico versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Curico costs roughly 26% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curico 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.74 CLP 4,217

$11.94 MX$209

-60.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.23 CLP 28.7K

$42.75 MX$748

-24.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 CLP 6,564

$10.59 MX$185

-30.31%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CLP 2,781

$3.62 MX$63.4

-13.54%

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

$1.60 CLP 1,421

$1.47 MX$25.69

8.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CLP 972

$0.94 MX$16.51

15.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 2,890

$3.09 MX$54.1

5.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 CLP 3,123

$4.46 MX$78.0

-21.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 CLP 1,093

$1.43 MX$24.94

-13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 CLP 1,363

$1.88 MX$32.97

-18.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CLP 1,764

$1.63 MX$28.50

21.47%

Eggs

$2.29 CLP 2,033

$2.64 MX$46.26

-13.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 CLP 9,189

$8.21 MX$144

25.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 CLP 5,891

$8.29 MX$145

-20.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 CLP 9,760

$11.10 MX$194

-1.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 CLP 1,791

$2.65 MX$46.40

-24.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 CLP 1,427

$1.50 MX$26.26

6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 CLP 1,901

$1.99 MX$34.79

7.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,728

$2.08 MX$36.33

-6.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,721

$1.79 MX$31.29

7.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 CLP 1,480

$2.18 MX$38.09

-23.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 CLP 1,161

$1.08 MX$18.84

21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 CLP 883

$1.04 MX$18.15

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 CLP 5,145

$3.97 MX$69.5

45.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.54 CLP 5,811

$10.20 MX$179

-35.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CLP 1,431

$1.73 MX$30.22

-6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,193

$2.50 MX$43.71

-1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 519

$0.52 MX$9.07

11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 420

$3.14 MX$55.0

-85.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CLP 1,260

$2.40 MX$42.04

-40.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 CLP 10.1K

$3.09 MX$54.0

266.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 CLP 1,212

$1.27 MX$22.28

7.09%

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

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-36.20%

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

$22.8K CLP 20.3M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-2.21%

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

$135 CLP 119.7K

$82.0 MX$1,435

64.08%

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

$10.87 CLP 9,663

$22.45 MX$393

-51.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.30 CLP 18.9K

$29.66 MX$519

-28.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.38 CLP 34.1K

$51.9 MX$908

-26.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.88 CLP 18.6K

$18.67 MX$327

11.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 CLP 5,882

$4.97 MX$87.0

33.20%

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

$438 CLP 389.7K

$198 MX$3,462

121.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,524 CLP 7.6M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

61.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 CLP 50.0K

$36.34 MX$636

54.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.11 CLP 29.4K

$40.05 MX$701

-17.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.57 CLP 33.4K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-52.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.90 CLP 43.5K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-44.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 CLP 393.4K

$963 MX$16.9K

-54.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 CLP 258.8K

$465 MX$8,133

-37.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 CLP 561.5K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-60.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 CLP 363.6K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-66.17%

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)

$500 CLP 444.4K

$720 MX$12.6K

-30.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-56.22%

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

Last update for Curico: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Curico and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 44% 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: $32.00 in Curico vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $251 per month, with Curico 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

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

Curico is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 44% 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: $442 in Curico versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $438 in Curico 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 Curico – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $950 in Curico versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Curico but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Curico the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Curico is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Curico gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.