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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $892 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,340 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,788 in Chillan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 86% more expensive than in Chillan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Chillan is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$5.36 CLP 5,117

122.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$47.44 CLP 45.3K

8.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.19 CLP 5,904

84.33%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.43 CLP 3,276

16.33%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.13 CLP 1,077

46.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.93 CLP 886

43.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.60 CLP 1,528

116.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.75 CLP 4,529

24.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.13 CLP 1,074

66.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.65 CLP 1,577

96.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.81 CLP 1,724

19.34%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.79 CLP 3,617

-23.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.16 CLP 6,830

79.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.67 CLP 2,545

276.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$8.26 CLP 7,883

92.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.54 CLP 1,472

113.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.69 CLP 1,617

18.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.24 CLP 1,179

77.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.06 CLP 1,016

122.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.53 CLP 1,455

33.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.25 CLP 1,197

52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.05 CLP 1,005

53.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.22 CLP 1,169

14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.67 CLP 4,458

16.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$3.33 CLP 3,182

430.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.22 CLP 1,165

68.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.15 CLP 2,050

117.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.61 CLP 578

-44.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$35.95 CLP 34.3K

-42.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.61 CLP 582

244.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.15 CLP 1,100

-51.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$12.65 CLP 12.1K

-54.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.39 CLP 1,326

15.83%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$12.2K CLP 11.6M

87.82%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$15.3K CLP 14.6M

74.56%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$129 CLP 123.4K

-49.62%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$10.27 CLP 9,795

192.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$23.67 CLP 22.6K

57.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$15.92 CLP 15.2K

275.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$16.97 CLP 16.2K

56.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$11.63 CLP 11.1K

-39.47%

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

$465 MX$8,012

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$37.18 CLP 35.5K

104.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$18.50 CLP 17.7K

202.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$50.3 CLP 48.0K

122.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$64.4 CLP 61.5K

87.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$317 CLP 302.3K

247.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$248 CLP 236.6K

190.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$458 CLP 437.0K

452.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$330 CLP 315.3K

291.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,475 CLP 2.4M

61.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$2,475 CLP 2.4M

-15.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$693 CLP 660.9K

49.76%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chillan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $317 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 50% 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 $47.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $181 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 86% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $892 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 50% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $317 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $892 in Chillan – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Chillan versus $1,660 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 86% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.