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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,041 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,531 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,020 in Chillan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 41% more expensive than in Chillan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Chillan is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$5.49 CLP 5,104

139.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$26.86 CLP 25.0K

99.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.17 CLP 5,737

51.22%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.96 CLP 2,754

25.00%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.92 CLP 853

73.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.94 CLP 877

19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$3.60 CLP 3,349

-12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.24 CLP 3,942

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.10 CLP 1,025

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.76 CLP 1,640

53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.91 CLP 1,777

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.91 CLP 3,636

-33.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$7.75 CLP 7,210

26.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$6.72 CLP 6,257

25.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$10.94 CLP 10.2K

9.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.87 CLP 1,743

57.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.52 CLP 1,413

14.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.54 CLP 1,436

32.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.51 CLP 1,408

36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.29 CLP 1,200

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.42 CLP 1,320

59.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.27 CLP 1,180

9.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$1.21 CLP 1,130

-7.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$5.35 CLP 4,982

-21.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$3.49 CLP 3,251

401.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.54 CLP 1,434

11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.23 CLP 2,072

62.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.67 CLP 624

-47.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.51 CLP 474

170.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.35 CLP 1,257

0.74%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$12.9K CLP 12.0M

47.77%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$15.8K CLP 14.7M

49.72%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$134 CLP 124.8K

-69.79%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$13.47 CLP 12.5K

103.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$24.22 CLP 22.5K

25.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$16.76 CLP 15.6K

211.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$20.91 CLP 19.5K

26.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$12.09 CLP 11.2K

-48.80%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$432 CLP 402.0K

-1.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

15.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$29.90 CLP 27.8K

49.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$50.5 CLP 46.9K

105.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$66.4 CLP 61.8K

63.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$475 CLP 441.9K

113.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$380 CLP 353.4K

63.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$459 CLP 426.8K

362.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$585 CLP 544.1K

109.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$2,520 CLP 2.3M

-16.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$698 CLP 649.3K

50.78%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Chillan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $475 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 51% 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 $27.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,041 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 51% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $475 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $1,041 in Chillan – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,041 in Chillan versus $1,472 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 41% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.