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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $944 in Antofagasta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,493 in Antofagasta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,042 in Antofagasta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 55% more expensive than Antofagasta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Antofagasta is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$7.67 CLP 6,804

71.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$37.56 CLP 33.3K

43.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.03 CLP 7,127

17.31%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.75 CLP 2,438

29.09%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.30 CLP 1,152

24.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.90 CLP 799

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.64 CLP 1,457

90.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.28 CLP 3,798

8.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.12 CLP 993

51.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.74 CLP 1,545

56.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.32 CLP 1,168

44.70%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$3.01 CLP 2,669

-15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.98 CLP 8,861

0.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.28 CLP 3,802

89.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.81 CLP 7,815

31.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.11 CLP 1,873

40.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.28 CLP 2,024

-20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.45 CLP 2,176

-17.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.20 CLP 1,069

69.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.95 CLP 847

123.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.94 CLP 831

141.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.21 CLP 1,071

15.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.16 CLP 1,033

-2.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$4.81 CLP 4,272

-11.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$6.00 CLP 5,321

159.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.53 CLP 1,359

15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.43 CLP 1,268

151.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.62 CLP 548

-38.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.47 CLP 416

193.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.40 CLP 1,240

-7.14%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.7K CLP 17.4M

-4.92%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$21.3K CLP 18.9M

8.48%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$47.75 CLP 42.4K

-14.43%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$10.47 CLP 9,292

156.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$13.05 CLP 11.6K

129.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$43.14 CLP 38.3K

20.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$21.57 CLP 19.1K

24.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.42 CLP 4,806

16.24%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$273 CLP 241.9K

59.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,289 CLP 2.9M

216.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$41.85 CLP 37.1K

35.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$16.11 CLP 14.3K

175.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$61.1 CLP 54.2K

68.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$72.2 CLP 64.1K

46.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$463 CLP 411.1K

120.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$370 CLP 328.4K

70.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$859 CLP 762.0K

148.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$690 CLP 612.2K

80.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$757 CLP 671.5K

47.37%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Antofagasta: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $463 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 47% 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 $38.00 in Antofagasta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $210 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 55% 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.

Mexico City pays 47% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $463 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 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 $38.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $944 in Antofagasta versus $1,467 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 $944 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 55% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.