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: $977 in Curico versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,423 in Curico versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,870 in Curico versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Curico costs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curico 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 CLP 4,382

$11.87 MX$204

-58.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 CLP 29.0K

$42.90 MX$736

-24.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 CLP 6,663

$10.65 MX$183

-30.42%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CLP 2,843

$3.45 MX$59.2

-8.41%

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

$1.64 CLP 1,478

$1.50 MX$25.81

9.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 CLP 992

$0.95 MX$16.28

15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,866

$3.03 MX$51.9

5.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 CLP 3,196

$4.61 MX$79.1

-22.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 CLP 1,116

$1.38 MX$23.61

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,365

$1.85 MX$31.70

-17.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,731

$1.61 MX$27.65

19.88%

Eggs

$2.22 CLP 1,992

$2.59 MX$44.51

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 CLP 9,514

$8.26 MX$142

28.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 CLP 5,940

$8.37 MX$144

-21.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 CLP 9,882

$10.66 MX$183

3.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 CLP 1,905

$2.63 MX$45.12

-19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,393

$1.49 MX$25.53

4.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 CLP 1,821

$1.92 MX$32.94

5.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,655

$2.09 MX$35.81

-11.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 CLP 1,732

$1.86 MX$31.88

3.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 CLP 1,519

$2.26 MX$38.81

-25.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 CLP 1,218

$1.06 MX$18.23

27.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CLP 881

$1.09 MX$18.67

-10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.60 CLP 5,030

$4.15 MX$71.2

34.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.57 CLP 5,907

$10.39 MX$178

-36.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CLP 1,394

$1.72 MX$29.59

-9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 CLP 2,253

$2.61 MX$44.85

-3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 CLP 522

$0.54 MX$9.30

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 CLP 430

$3.13 MX$53.7

-84.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CLP 1,285

$2.51 MX$43.09

-43.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.37 CLP 10.2K

$3.15 MX$54.1

260.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,235

$1.27 MX$21.88

7.87%

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

$19.3K CLP 17.3M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-36.60%

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

$22.7K CLP 20.4M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-3.76%

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

$133 CLP 119.3K

$83.0 MX$1,425

59.89%

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

$10.94 CLP 9,828

$22.71 MX$390

-51.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.37 CLP 19.2K

$29.46 MX$506

-27.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.97 CLP 34.1K

$51.0 MX$875

-25.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.96 CLP 18.8K

$18.33 MX$315

14.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 CLP 5,930

$4.93 MX$84.5

33.87%

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

$430 CLP 386.2K

$197 MX$3,386

117.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,740 CLP 7.9M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

65.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CLP 50.4K

$36.90 MX$633

51.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.27 CLP 29.9K

$39.89 MX$685

-16.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.35 CLP 34.5K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-52.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.47 CLP 44.5K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-44.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 CLP 401.7K

$956 MX$16.4K

-53.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 CLP 262.0K

$477 MX$8,189

-38.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 CLP 555.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-62.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 CLP 368.8K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-66.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$479 CLP 430.5K

$667 MX$11.4K

-28.17%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Curico and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 39% 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 $231 vs $250 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 39% 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: $447 in Curico versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $430 in Curico versus $197 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 $977 in Curico versus $1,271 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 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.