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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,023 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,506 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,990 in Chillan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 45% more expensive than Chillan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Chillan is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$5.52 CLP 4,907

135.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$26.86 CLP 23.9K

97.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.14 CLP 5,457

58.31%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.10 CLP 2,753

20.97%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.96 CLP 851

63.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.89 CLP 795

26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$3.61 CLP 3,213

-11.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$4.11 CLP 3,652

13.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.15 CLP 1,026

40.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.77 CLP 1,571

53.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.90 CLP 1,693

-1.05%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$3.74 CLP 3,326

-32.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$7.64 CLP 6,793

31.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.56 CLP 5,837

26.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$11.08 CLP 9,853

7.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.87 CLP 1,659

52.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.52 CLP 1,351

15.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.58 CLP 1,401

31.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.44 CLP 1,284

36.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.27 CLP 1,131

70.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.35 CLP 1,205

61.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.23 CLP 1,090

13.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$1.22 CLP 1,081

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$5.37 CLP 4,778

-21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$3.66 CLP 3,250

289.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.56 CLP 1,384

12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.29 CLP 2,039

60.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.67 CLP 592

-41.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.50 CLP 447

178.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.37 CLP 1,221

-1.46%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$12.5K CLP 11.2M

50.48%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$15.8K CLP 14.0M

46.89%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$133 CLP 118.6K

-69.40%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$13.30 CLP 11.8K

106.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$24.58 CLP 21.9K

23.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$16.61 CLP 14.8K

221.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$20.94 CLP 18.6K

25.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$12.07 CLP 10.7K

-48.05%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$428 CLP 380.6K

1.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$51.6 CLP 45.9K

9.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$29.72 CLP 26.4K

50.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$50.2 CLP 44.6K

104.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$67.2 CLP 59.8K

60.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$484 CLP 430.6K

106.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$368 CLP 326.8K

68.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$465 CLP 413.2K

359.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$589 CLP 523.4K

109.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$2,579 CLP 2.3M

-9.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$732 CLP 651.1K

45.74%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chillan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $484 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 46% 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 $286 vs $218 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,023 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 46% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $484 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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $1,023 in Chillan – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,023 in Chillan versus $1,484 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 45% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.