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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,045 in Iquique.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,709 in Iquique.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,374 in Iquique.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 40% more expensive than Iquique, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Iquique is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$8.01 CLP 7,113

64.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$42.47 CLP 37.7K

26.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.18 CLP 6,374

31.20%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.68 CLP 3,268

-3.53%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.30 CLP 1,156

24.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.02 CLP 904

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.50 CLP 3,105

-10.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$3.75 CLP 3,331

23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.16 CLP 1,029

46.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.17 CLP 1,042

132.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.37 CLP 1,219

39.42%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$3.58 CLP 3,174

-29.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.59 CLP 9,400

-5.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.58 CLP 5,839

22.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.97 CLP 9,738

5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.82 CLP 1,619

63.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.27 CLP 2,013

-20.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.58 CLP 1,402

27.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.11 CLP 989

82.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.82 CLP 729

158.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.63 CLP 557

260.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.22 CLP 1,082

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.19 CLP 1,054

-5.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$5.30 CLP 4,701

-19.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$8.38 CLP 7,437

85.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.56 CLP 1,383

12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.30 CLP 2,038

56.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.68 CLP 604

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.51 CLP 454

170.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.43 CLP 1,266

-9.09%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.4K CLP 17.2M

-3.55%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$21.7K CLP 19.2M

6.80%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$81.7 CLP 72.5K

-49.97%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$13.61 CLP 12.1K

96.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$22.34 CLP 19.8K

34.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$42.96 CLP 38.1K

21.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$21.01 CLP 18.6K

27.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.54 CLP 4,913

13.72%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$440 CLP 390.7K

-0.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$32.41 CLP 28.8K

74.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$24.37 CLP 21.6K

82.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$48.10 CLP 42.7K

113.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$61.7 CLP 54.8K

70.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$449 CLP 398.5K

127.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$388 CLP 344.5K

62.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$740 CLP 656.3K

188.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$839 CLP 744.5K

48.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,926 CLP 1.7M

102.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$2,137 CLP 1.9M

-3.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,018 CLP 903.9K

9.48%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iquique: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $449 in Iquique. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 9% 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 $42.00 in Iquique for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $227 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 40% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,045 including rent). Iquique is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 9% 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: $1,022 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 27% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,045 in Iquique – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,045 in Iquique versus $1,467 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 40% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.