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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $924 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,501 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,078 in Antofagasta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than in Antofagasta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Antofagasta is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$7.43 CLP 6,962

62.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$36.73 CLP 34.4K

42.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$7.67 CLP 7,186

42.11%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$2.64 CLP 2,472

53.41%

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.31 CLP 1,228

31.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

$0.89 CLP 831

55.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$1.63 CLP 1,526

112.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

$1.92 CLP 1,796

202.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

$1.14 CLP 1,067

62.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

$1.75 CLP 1,638

84.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$1.29 CLP 1,213

62.02%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$2.94 CLP 2,760

-1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$9.79 CLP 9,177

27.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$4.11 CLP 3,853

145.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$8.83 CLP 8,273

79.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$2.10 CLP 1,966

57.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$2.37 CLP 2,223

-10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$2.57 CLP 2,406

-14.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$1.15 CLP 1,076

113.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$0.95 CLP 889

130.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$0.91 CLP 858

108.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.19 CLP 1,112

36.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$1.16 CLP 1,090

16.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$4.70 CLP 4,409

15.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$6.06 CLP 5,683

190.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

$1.52 CLP 1,428

36.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

$1.35 CLP 1,268

251.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$0.63 CLP 590

-46.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$2.72 CLP 2,551

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.34 CLP 1,258

20.90%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

$18.4K CLP 17.2M

44.99%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

$47.56 CLP 44.6K

37.17%

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

$29.87 MX$507

$10.14 CLP 9,506

194.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$13.38 CLP 12.5K

173.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$42.88 CLP 40.2K

42.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$26.82 CLP 25.1K

-0.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$5.25 CLP 4,918

30.48%

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

$453 MX$7,700

$273 CLP 255.8K

66.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

$3,311 CLP 3.1M

303.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

$41.56 CLP 39.0K

80.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

$15.87 CLP 14.9K

248.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

$61.3 CLP 57.4K

85.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

$72.7 CLP 68.2K

68.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$460 CLP 430.8K

146.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$370 CLP 346.8K

92.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$843 CLP 790.2K

204.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$686 CLP 643.4K

91.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$742 CLP 695.1K

41.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $460 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 41% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Antofagasta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $209 per month, with Antofagasta 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

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

Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 78% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $460 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $273 in Antofagasta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in Antofagasta versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Antofagasta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $924 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Antofagasta hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.