Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Iquique and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,657 in Iquique versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Iquique versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Iquique costs roughly 18% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Iquique 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.96 CLP 7,408

$11.71 MX$198

-32.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

$46.59 MX$788

-6.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 CLP 6,902

$11.65 MX$197

-36.31%

Cappuccino

$3.54 CLP 3,296

$4.09 MX$69.2

-13.45%

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

$1.30 CLP 1,213

$1.37 MX$23.23

-5.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CLP 973

$0.83 MX$14.09

26.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 CLP 3,094

$3.35 MX$56.7

-0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CLP 3,462

$6.91 MX$117

-46.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 CLP 1,091

$1.73 MX$29.20

-32.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 CLP 1,134

$2.26 MX$38.21

-46.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 CLP 1,279

$1.77 MX$29.91

-22.60%

Eggs

$3.14 CLP 2,922

$2.73 MX$46.19

15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CLP 9,777

$9.18 MX$155

14.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

$8.92 MX$151

21.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 CLP 2,251

$3.02 MX$51.1

-19.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 CLP 2,089

$1.57 MX$26.55

42.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 CLP 1,524

$2.13 MX$35.93

-23.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,011

$2.26 MX$38.28

-51.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 CLP 715

$2.00 MX$33.88

-61.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 CLP 610

$2.06 MX$34.90

-67.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 CLP 1,024

$1.18 MX$19.94

-6.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 CLP 1,314

$1.20 MX$20.35

17.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.42 CLP 6,901

$4.63 MX$78.4

60.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 CLP 7,537

$10.69 MX$181

-24.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 CLP 767

$2.88 MX$48.70

-71.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 CLP 680

$0.57 MX$9.69

28.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CLP 1,362

$1.55 MX$26.26

-5.81%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

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

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

$89.1 MX$1,507

3.19%

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

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

$25.04 MX$423

-36.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

$31.50 MX$532

-21.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

$67.8 MX$1,146

-21.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 CLP 6,810

$5.05 MX$85.4

44.95%

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

$271 CLP 252.1K

$225 MX$3,803

20.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

$47.44 MX$802

-32.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

$44.98 MX$760

-46.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

$82.0 MX$1,386

-41.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

$92.1 MX$1,557

-33.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 CLP 417.9K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-58.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 CLP 378.4K

$405 MX$6,852

0.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 CLP 660.8K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-63.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 CLP 745.4K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-38.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-55.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-68.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$972 CLP 904.1K

$749 MX$12.7K

29.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

11.45

-34.50%

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

Last update for Iquique: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $449 in Iquique and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iquique pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Iquique vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $277 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iquique and Playa del Carmen differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,063 vs $1,293 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Iquique, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $449 in Iquique versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. 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 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.