Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Pedro de Atacama Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and San Pedro de Atacama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,055 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,638 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,221 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 38% more expensive than in San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, San Pedro de Atacama is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$7.40 CLP 6,912

76.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$44.02 CLP 41.1K

22.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$8.03 CLP 7,495

20.55%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.74 CLP 2,556

36.50%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.60 CLP 1,494

1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$1.21 CLP 1,130

-4.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.60 CLP 3,360

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.93 CLP 3,667

20.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.24 CLP 1,157

33.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.51 CLP 1,406

82.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.64 CLP 1,533

14.02%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$3.71 CLP 3,467

-32.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$10.08 CLP 9,409

1.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$6.51 CLP 6,081

26.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$11.49 CLP 10.7K

2.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.88 CLP 1,759

60.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.56 CLP 1,457

16.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.77 CLP 1,655

12.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.69 CLP 1,573

18.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.66 CLP 1,553

25.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.49 CLP 1,395

52.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.28 CLP 1,200

14.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.20 CLP 1,116

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$5.12 CLP 4,776

-15.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$4.93 CLP 4,606

244.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.59 CLP 1,487

8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.16 CLP 2,021

65.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.62 CLP 583

-37.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.65 CLP 605

104.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.36 CLP 1,269

-1.47%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$17.3K CLP 16.2M

11.97%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$19.4K CLP 18.1M

22.94%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$131 CLP 122.2K

-68.91%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$13.57 CLP 12.7K

98.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$21.88 CLP 20.4K

39.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$39.18 CLP 36.6K

34.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$22.50 CLP 21.0K

18.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$5.55 CLP 5,181

17.30%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$384 CLP 358.3K

11.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$47.82 CLP 44.6K

19.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$24.69 CLP 23.0K

84.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$62.7 CLP 58.5K

65.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$81.8 CLP 76.3K

31.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$478 CLP 446.7K

109.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$368 CLP 344.0K

69.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$882 CLP 823.1K

139.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$598 CLP 558.0K

103.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,323 CLP 2.2M

67.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.01

126.35%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $478 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $230 per month, with San Pedro de Atacama 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 San Pedro de Atacama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and San Pedro de Atacama differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,055 including rent). San Pedro de Atacama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $1,582 in San Pedro de Atacama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $478 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $384 in San Pedro de Atacama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Pedro de Atacama – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,055 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Pedro de Atacama but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro de Atacama 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and San Pedro de Atacama are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find San Pedro de Atacama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.