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: $952 in Curico versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,404 in Curico versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Curico versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Curico costs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curico 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.80 CLP 4,469

$11.72 MX$203

-59.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.79 CLP 30.5K

$41.89 MX$725

-21.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 CLP 6,913

$10.51 MX$182

-29.31%

Cappuccino

$3.29 CLP 3,057

$3.59 MX$62.0

-8.36%

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

$1.59 CLP 1,477

$1.51 MX$26.10

5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CLP 991

$0.92 MX$15.83

16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 CLP 2,988

$2.96 MX$51.2

8.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 CLP 3,331

$4.41 MX$76.3

-18.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 CLP 1,137

$1.40 MX$24.16

-12.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 CLP 1,430

$1.88 MX$32.60

-18.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 CLP 1,787

$1.56 MX$26.97

23.08%

Eggs

$2.27 CLP 2,112

$2.61 MX$45.14

-13.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.39 CLP 9,667

$8.32 MX$144

24.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 CLP 6,155

$8.35 MX$145

-20.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 CLP 10.1K

$10.86 MX$188

0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 CLP 1,961

$2.71 MX$46.93

-22.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CLP 1,459

$1.51 MX$26.04

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 CLP 1,909

$1.87 MX$32.41

9.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 CLP 1,747

$2.19 MX$37.89

-14.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,816

$1.86 MX$32.14

4.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 CLP 1,581

$2.23 MX$38.59

-23.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,198

$1.07 MX$18.48

20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 CLP 873

$1.09 MX$18.79

-13.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 CLP 5,425

$4.19 MX$72.4

39.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 CLP 5,718

$10.43 MX$180

-41.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CLP 1,508

$1.66 MX$28.68

-2.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CLP 2,417

$2.61 MX$45.19

-0.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 543

$0.54 MX$9.37

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 CLP 473

$3.08 MX$53.3

-83.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CLP 1,349

$2.40 MX$41.61

-39.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.61 CLP 10.8K

$3.13 MX$54.1

270.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 CLP 1,316

$1.31 MX$22.69

7.63%

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

$19.7K CLP 18.3M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-34.07%

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

$22.8K CLP 21.2M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-2.19%

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

$134 CLP 124.9K

$81.3 MX$1,406

65.17%

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

$10.90 CLP 10.1K

$22.56 MX$390

-51.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.80 CLP 20.3K

$30.05 MX$520

-27.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 CLP 36.3K

$52.9 MX$915

-26.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 CLP 19.8K

$18.39 MX$318

15.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 CLP 5,973

$4.92 MX$85.1

30.49%

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

$439 CLP 408.1K

$201 MX$3,474

118.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,696 CLP 8.1M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

68.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CLP 50.9K

$35.92 MX$622

52.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.52 CLP 30.3K

$40.13 MX$694

-18.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.52 CLP 34.9K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-52.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.44 CLP 46.0K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-42.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 CLP 413.4K

$978 MX$16.9K

-54.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 CLP 277.9K

$470 MX$8,140

-36.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 CLP 577.9K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-62.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 CLP 371.8K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-66.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$474 CLP 440.7K

$677 MX$11.7K

-30.00%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Curico and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 43% 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: $33.00 in Curico vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $252 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 43% 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: $444 in Curico versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $439 in Curico 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 Curico – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $952 in Curico versus $1,260 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 32% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.