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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,026 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,702 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,377 in Iquique.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 42% more expensive than in Iquique, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Iquique is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$8.01 CLP 7,463

63.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$43.94 CLP 40.9K

22.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.21 CLP 6,718

34.26%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$3.58 CLP 3,336

4.47%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$1.35 CLP 1,258

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$1.02 CLP 951

13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$3.48 CLP 3,244

-7.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$3.71 CLP 3,456

27.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$1.20 CLP 1,119

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$1.22 CLP 1,138

125.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$1.41 CLP 1,313

32.62%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$3.47 CLP 3,227

-27.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$10.42 CLP 9,703

-2.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$6.65 CLP 6,196

24.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

9.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$1.89 CLP 1,759

59.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$2.39 CLP 2,223

-24.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$1.55 CLP 1,442

29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$1.12 CLP 1,042

78.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$0.82 CLP 767

153.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$0.67 CLP 622

238.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$1.25 CLP 1,168

16.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$1.18 CLP 1,095

-8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$5.45 CLP 5,071

-20.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$8.20 CLP 7,636

107.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$1.54 CLP 1,434

12.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$2.30 CLP 2,138

55.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.67 CLP 620

-41.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$0.47 CLP 435

182.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$1.44 CLP 1,341

-6.94%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

-1.88%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$21.3K CLP 19.8M

12.06%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$81.7 CLP 76.1K

-50.22%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$13.37 CLP 12.5K

100.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$21.65 CLP 20.2K

40.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$42.71 CLP 39.8K

23.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$21.02 CLP 19.6K

26.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$5.80 CLP 5,397

12.24%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$440 CLP 409.8K

-2.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$31.76 CLP 29.6K

80.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$24.53 CLP 22.8K

85.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$48.65 CLP 45.3K

113.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$61.4 CLP 57.2K

75.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$438 CLP 408.0K

129.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$397 CLP 369.5K

56.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$757 CLP 705.4K

178.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$842 CLP 784.5K

44.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$1,812 CLP 1.7M

114.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$2,077 CLP 1.9M

-2.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,004 CLP 934.9K

3.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.5

51.20%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Iquique: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $438 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 3% 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 $44.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $228 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 42% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,026 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $438 in Iquique. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $1,026 in Iquique – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,026 in Iquique versus $1,456 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 42% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.