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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,047 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,504 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,961 in Chillan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 38% more expensive than Chillan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Chillan is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.52 CLP 4,961

135.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$27.29 CLP 24.5K

92.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.30 CLP 5,661

49.68%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.10 CLP 2,788

15.16%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.94 CLP 847

71.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.98 CLP 877

17.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.73 CLP 3,350

-15.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.19 CLP 3,767

15.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.14 CLP 1,027

49.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.78 CLP 1,601

48.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.85 CLP 1,666

2.70%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.83 CLP 3,440

-33.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.66 CLP 6,884

31.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.79 CLP 6,101

22.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$10.93 CLP 9,822

5.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.84 CLP 1,652

64.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.51 CLP 1,360

13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.60 CLP 1,434

28.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.46 CLP 1,314

41.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.30 CLP 1,166

58.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.35 CLP 1,216

60.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.27 CLP 1,140

10.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.22 CLP 1,092

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.54 CLP 4,980

-22.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$3.48 CLP 3,123

342.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.61 CLP 1,445

3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.22 CLP 1,997

66.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.63 CLP 564

-39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.47 CLP 426

193.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.37 CLP 1,229

-6.57%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$12.6K CLP 11.3M

50.71%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$15.4K CLP 13.9M

52.09%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$135 CLP 121.4K

-69.64%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$13.40 CLP 12.0K

100.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$24.46 CLP 22.0K

21.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$16.19 CLP 14.5K

223.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$21.58 CLP 19.4K

21.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$11.75 CLP 10.6K

-47.40%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$439 CLP 394.1K

-2.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$51.0 CLP 45.8K

11.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$30.24 CLP 27.2K

48.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$52.0 CLP 46.7K

101.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$68.3 CLP 61.4K

55.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$487 CLP 437.9K

104.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$373 CLP 335.4K

66.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$463 CLP 416.5K

358.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$597 CLP 536.6K

109.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$2,621 CLP 2.4M

-20.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$696 CLP 625.2K

59.16%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chillan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $487 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 59% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $219 per month, with Chillan 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 Chillan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Chillan differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,047 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 59% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $487 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $1,047 in Chillan – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,047 in Chillan versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chillan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Chillan 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 Chillan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.