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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $964 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,529 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,093 in Antofagasta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 51% more expensive than in Antofagasta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Antofagasta is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$7.37 CLP 6,864

77.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$37.04 CLP 34.5K

45.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.59 CLP 7,068

27.54%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$2.75 CLP 2,560

36.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$1.29 CLP 1,202

25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$0.97 CLP 899

19.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$1.67 CLP 1,552

93.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$4.27 CLP 3,973

11.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$1.14 CLP 1,064

44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$1.73 CLP 1,608

58.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$1.25 CLP 1,161

49.60%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$2.94 CLP 2,738

-14.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.94 CLP 9,257

2.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.30 CLP 4,003

91.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$8.88 CLP 8,267

33.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$2.11 CLP 1,967

42.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$2.36 CLP 2,193

-23.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$2.57 CLP 2,397

-22.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$1.16 CLP 1,082

72.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$0.89 CLP 831

133.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$0.94 CLP 877

141.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$1.25 CLP 1,162

16.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$1.22 CLP 1,141

-11.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$4.84 CLP 4,503

-10.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$5.87 CLP 5,468

189.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$1.55 CLP 1,447

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$1.37 CLP 1,275

161.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.63 CLP 590

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$0.50 CLP 467

166.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.40 CLP 1,308

-4.29%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$19.4K CLP 18.0M

0.21%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$21.6K CLP 20.1M

10.50%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$47.85 CLP 44.6K

-14.96%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$10.53 CLP 9,807

155.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$13.11 CLP 12.2K

132.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$43.75 CLP 40.7K

20.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$21.04 CLP 19.6K

26.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$5.48 CLP 5,102

18.80%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$270 CLP 251.5K

58.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$3,357 CLP 3.1M

212.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$41.10 CLP 38.3K

39.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$16.09 CLP 15.0K

182.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$60.8 CLP 56.6K

71.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$71.1 CLP 66.2K

51.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$472 CLP 439.3K

112.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$374 CLP 348.0K

66.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$851 CLP 792.8K

147.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$704 CLP 655.8K

72.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$732 CLP 682.1K

41.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.18

118.92%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $472 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 42% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Antofagasta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $211 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 51% 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 42% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $472 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $270 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $964 in Antofagasta versus $1,456 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 $964 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 51% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.