Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,657 in Iquique versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Iquique versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 35% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iquique is 23% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.96 CLP 7,408

$12.11 MX$205

-34.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

$52.2 MX$883

-16.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 CLP 6,902

$10.90 MX$184

-31.93%

Cappuccino

$3.54 CLP 3,296

$4.05 MX$68.5

-12.59%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,213

$1.72 MX$29.00

-24.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 973

$1.38 MX$23.29

-23.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 CLP 3,094

$3.47 MX$58.6

-4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CLP 3,462

$5.81 MX$98.2

-35.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,091

$1.85 MX$31.33

-36.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,134

$3.22 MX$54.5

-62.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,279

$2.09 MX$35.25

-34.45%

Eggs

$3.14 CLP 2,922

$2.91 MX$49.18

7.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,777

$12.49 MX$211

-15.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

$10.11 MX$171

6.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 CLP 2,251

$3.31 MX$56.0

-26.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CLP 2,089

$2.13 MX$35.95

5.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,524

$2.19 MX$37.03

-25.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,011

$2.45 MX$41.37

-55.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 CLP 715

$2.19 MX$37.00

-64.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 CLP 610

$1.90 MX$32.20

-65.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 CLP 1,024

$1.62 MX$27.31

-32.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CLP 1,314

$1.35 MX$22.82

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 CLP 6,901

$5.43 MX$91.7

36.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 CLP 7,537

$17.59 MX$297

-53.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 CLP 767

$4.75 MX$80.2

-82.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 CLP 680

$0.34 MX$5.75

114.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CLP 1,362

$1.62 MX$27.31

-9.88%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

$65.2 MX$1,103

40.97%

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

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

$29.87 MX$505

-47.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

$36.55 MX$618

-32.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

$61.0 MX$1,031

-12.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 CLP 6,810

$6.85 MX$116

6.86%

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

$271 CLP 252.1K

$453 MX$7,664

-40.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

$75.0 MX$1,267

-57.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

$55.3 MX$935

-56.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

$114 MX$1,920

-57.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

$123 MX$2,073

-50.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 CLP 417.9K

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-60.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 CLP 378.4K

$712 MX$12.0K

-42.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 CLP 660.8K

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-72.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 CLP 745.4K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-38.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-55.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-1.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$972 CLP 904.1K

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-7.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.3

-33.63%

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

Last update for Iquique: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Iquique and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 8% 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: $44.00 in Iquique vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $345 per month, with Iquique 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

Iquique vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquique and Mexico City differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($1,063 vs $1,646 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Mexico City. 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: $449 in Iquique versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,063 per month in Iquique versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique 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 Iquique gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.