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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,055 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,638 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,221 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 56% more expensive than in San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, San Pedro de Atacama is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$7.26 CLP 6,780

66.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$44.49 CLP 41.5K

17.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$8.00 CLP 7,473

36.25%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$2.83 CLP 2,645

43.11%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$1.57 CLP 1,463

9.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$1.17 CLP 1,092

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$3.51 CLP 3,280

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$3.85 CLP 3,592

50.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$1.23 CLP 1,153

50.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.53 CLP 1,430

110.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$1.69 CLP 1,579

23.67%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$3.56 CLP 3,323

-18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$10.17 CLP 9,496

22.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$6.58 CLP 6,142

53.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$11.54 CLP 10.8K

37.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$1.89 CLP 1,766

75.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$1.56 CLP 1,460

36.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$1.79 CLP 1,670

22.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$1.69 CLP 1,575

44.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$1.64 CLP 1,529

33.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$1.56 CLP 1,459

21.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$1.34 CLP 1,255

20.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$1.24 CLP 1,154

8.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$5.23 CLP 4,883

3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$5.16 CLP 4,819

240.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$1.55 CLP 1,450

33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.14 CLP 1,995

121.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.62 CLP 578

-45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$0.67 CLP 625

204.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$1.37 CLP 1,278

18.25%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$17.5K CLP 16.3M

30.38%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$19.3K CLP 18.0M

37.95%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$129 CLP 120.8K

-49.58%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$13.28 CLP 12.4K

124.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$22.02 CLP 20.6K

65.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$39.16 CLP 36.6K

55.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$22.92 CLP 21.4K

16.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$5.31 CLP 4,960

29.00%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$386 CLP 360.7K

17.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$8,559 CLP 8.0M

56.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$47.54 CLP 44.4K

57.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$25.26 CLP 23.6K

118.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$62.1 CLP 58.0K

82.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$83.7 CLP 78.2K

46.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$476 CLP 444.7K

138.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$370 CLP 345.7K

92.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$877 CLP 819.0K

193.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$585 CLP 546.3K

124.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$2,324 CLP 2.2M

71.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.01

125.55%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $476 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $44.00 in San Pedro de Atacama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $232 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 56% in total monthly costs ($1,646 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 $2,469 in Mexico City and $1,583 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $476 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $386 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 $52.0 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 $1,646 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 56% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.