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: $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Iquique versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,377 in Iquique versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 30% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iquique is 23% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 CLP 7,463

$13.07 MX$229

-38.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.94 CLP 40.9K

$53.8 MX$940

-18.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 CLP 6,718

$9.68 MX$169

-25.52%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CLP 3,336

$3.74 MX$65.4

-4.28%

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

$1.35 CLP 1,258

$1.62 MX$28.25

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CLP 951

$1.16 MX$20.31

-12.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 CLP 3,244

$3.23 MX$56.4

7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 CLP 3,456

$4.74 MX$82.9

-21.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,119

$1.65 MX$28.80

-27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,138

$2.75 MX$48.15

-55.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,313

$1.87 MX$32.77

-24.60%

Eggs

$3.47 CLP 3,227

$2.50 MX$43.72

38.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 CLP 9,703

$10.20 MX$178

2.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 CLP 6,196

$8.25 MX$144

-19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

$11.82 MX$207

-8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,759

$3.01 MX$52.6

-37.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 CLP 2,223

$1.81 MX$31.67

32.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 CLP 1,442

$2.00 MX$34.96

-22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 CLP 1,042

$2.00 MX$34.89

-44.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 CLP 767

$2.08 MX$36.45

-60.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 CLP 622

$2.27 MX$39.72

-70.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 CLP 1,168

$1.46 MX$25.47

-14.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 CLP 1,095

$1.08 MX$18.82

9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 CLP 5,071

$4.35 MX$76.0

25.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 CLP 7,636

$16.99 MX$297

-51.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,434

$1.73 MX$30.31

-10.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,138

$3.58 MX$62.5

-35.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 CLP 620

$0.39 MX$6.77

71.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 435

$1.33 MX$23.18

-64.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CLP 1,341

$1.34 MX$23.37

7.46%

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

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

1.91%

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

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-10.76%

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

$81.7 CLP 76.1K

$40.69 MX$712

100.88%

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

$13.37 CLP 12.5K

$26.87 MX$470

-50.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.65 CLP 20.2K

$30.51 MX$534

-29.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.71 CLP 39.8K

$52.8 MX$923

-19.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.02 CLP 19.6K

$26.65 MX$466

-21.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 CLP 5,397

$6.51 MX$114

-10.91%

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

$440 CLP 409.8K

$428 MX$7,485

2.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.76 CLP 29.6K

$57.3 MX$1,001

-44.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.53 CLP 22.8K

$45.50 MX$796

-46.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.65 CLP 45.3K

$104 MX$1,819

-53.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.4 CLP 57.2K

$108 MX$1,885

-43.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 CLP 408.0K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 CLP 369.5K

$623 MX$10.9K

-36.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 CLP 705.4K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-64.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 CLP 784.5K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-30.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 CLP 1.7M

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-53.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,077 CLP 1.9M

$2,033 MX$35.5K

2.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 CLP 934.9K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-3.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.34

-33.86%

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

Last update for Iquique: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Iquique and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 3% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $292 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 42% in total monthly costs ($1,026 vs $1,456 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 3% 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: $438 in Iquique versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,026 per month in Iquique versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,456 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 42% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.