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: $964 in Curico versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Curico versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,936 in Curico versus $3,292 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 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 CLP 5,275

$11.60 MX$200

-52.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.39 CLP 45.2K

$47.11 MX$812

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 CLP 8,637

$11.88 MX$205

-23.82%

Cappuccino

$3.49 CLP 3,331

$3.98 MX$68.6

-12.31%

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

$1.73 CLP 1,652

$1.43 MX$24.60

20.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 CLP 1,205

$0.82 MX$14.22

53.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 CLP 2,750

$3.19 MX$55.0

-9.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 CLP 2,546

$6.79 MX$117

-60.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 CLP 1,191

$1.68 MX$28.89

-25.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 CLP 1,721

$2.20 MX$37.88

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 CLP 1,594

$1.71 MX$29.45

-2.34%

Eggs

$2.17 CLP 2,074

$2.74 MX$47.26

-20.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 CLP 10.8K

$9.58 MX$165

18.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 CLP 6,538

$9.01 MX$155

-23.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.12 CLP 10.6K

$12.81 MX$221

-13.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,995

$2.89 MX$49.81

-27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 CLP 1,573

$1.50 MX$25.81

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 CLP 1,663

$2.15 MX$37.03

-19.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 CLP 1,726

$2.26 MX$38.96

-19.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 CLP 1,098

$1.98 MX$34.15

-41.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CLP 1,518

$1.99 MX$34.30

-20.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,213

$1.23 MX$21.28

3.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 CLP 944

$1.20 MX$20.63

-17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 CLP 5,227

$4.55 MX$78.5

20.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.28 CLP 5,996

$10.37 MX$179

-39.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CLP 1,539

$1.62 MX$27.91

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 CLP 2,455

$2.88 MX$49.67

-10.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 CLP 744

$0.60 MX$10.35

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 CLP 422

$5.39 MX$92.9

-91.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 CLP 897

$3.73 MX$64.3

-74.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.14 CLP 11.6K

$5.77 MX$99.5

110.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CLP 1,396

$1.54 MX$26.48

-5.19%

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

$18.5K CLP 17.7M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-17.94%

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

$22.3K CLP 21.2M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-14.58%

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

$153 CLP 146.1K

$91.4 MX$1,576

67.60%

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

$10.63 CLP 10.1K

$25.20 MX$435

-57.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.73 CLP 19.8K

$31.24 MX$539

-33.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.30 CLP 20.3K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-68.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 CLP 7,394

$4.86 MX$83.8

59.47%

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

$435 CLP 414.8K

$224 MX$3,856

94.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K CLP 10.7M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

165.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 CLP 50.6K

$47.10 MX$812

12.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 CLP 29.2K

$44.29 MX$764

-31.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.08 CLP 36.3K

$80.1 MX$1,381

-52.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.47 CLP 45.3K

$92.7 MX$1,598

-48.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 CLP 413.9K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-59.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 CLP 285.8K

$390 MX$6,728

-23.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 CLP 605.4K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-70.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 CLP 382.2K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-68.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$480 CLP 457.7K

$758 MX$13.1K

-36.73%

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 Curico: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Curico and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 58% 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: $47.00 in Curico vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $276 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 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 58% 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: $434 in Curico versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $435 in Curico versus $224 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 $47.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $964 in Curico versus $1,266 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 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.