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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,063 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,657 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,251 in Iquique.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Iquique is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$7.96 CLP 7,408

52.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$43.56 CLP 40.5K

19.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$7.42 CLP 6,902

46.90%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$3.54 CLP 3,296

14.41%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.30 CLP 1,213

32.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$1.05 CLP 973

31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$3.33 CLP 3,094

4.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$3.72 CLP 3,462

56.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$1.17 CLP 1,091

58.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.22 CLP 1,134

163.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.37 CLP 1,279

52.55%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$3.14 CLP 2,922

-7.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$10.51 CLP 9,777

18.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$10.80 CLP 10.0K

-6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.42 CLP 2,251

36.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$2.24 CLP 2,089

-4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$1.64 CLP 1,524

33.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$1.09 CLP 1,011

124.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$0.77 CLP 715

184.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$0.66 CLP 610

187.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.10 CLP 1,024

47.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$1.41 CLP 1,314

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$7.42 CLP 6,901

-26.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$8.10 CLP 7,537

117.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$0.82 CLP 767

479.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.73 CLP 680

-53.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.46 CLP 1,362

10.96%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$92.0 CLP 85.6K

-29.06%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$15.79 CLP 14.7K

89.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$24.70 CLP 23.0K

47.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$53.1 CLP 49.4K

14.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$7.32 CLP 6,810

-6.42%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$271 CLP 252.1K

67.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$31.86 CLP 29.6K

135.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$24.23 CLP 22.5K

128.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$47.84 CLP 44.5K

137.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$60.9 CLP 56.7K

101.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$449 CLP 417.9K

152.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$407 CLP 378.4K

75.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$710 CLP 660.8K

261.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$801 CLP 745.4K

63.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$1,787 CLP 1.7M

123.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$2,057 CLP 1.9M

1.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$972 CLP 904.1K

7.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.5

50.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Iquique: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 8% 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 $44.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $208 per month, with Iquique 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 Iquique: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Iquique differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $1,063 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $449 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $1,063 in Iquique – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Iquique versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Iquique but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Iquique 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 Iquique 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.