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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,058 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,620 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,183 in San Pedro de Atacama.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 39% more expensive than San Pedro de Atacama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, San Pedro de Atacama is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$7.37 CLP 6,542

78.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$45.15 CLP 40.1K

19.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.90 CLP 7,013

19.24%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.82 CLP 2,505

25.89%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.63 CLP 1,443

-0.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$1.18 CLP 1,045

-5.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.58 CLP 3,177

-12.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.04 CLP 3,585

14.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.18 CLP 1,050

44.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.51 CLP 1,342

80.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.71 CLP 1,515

11.70%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$3.65 CLP 3,241

-30.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$10.05 CLP 8,924

-0.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.72 CLP 5,962

20.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.44 CLP 10.2K

1.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.98 CLP 1,755

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.55 CLP 1,375

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.77 CLP 1,571

13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.66 CLP 1,470

22.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.58 CLP 1,400

34.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.51 CLP 1,340

50.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.30 CLP 1,156

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$1.23 CLP 1,095

-8.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$5.09 CLP 4,514

-16.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$5.01 CLP 4,446

210.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.57 CLP 1,390

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.15 CLP 1,907

67.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.62 CLP 551

-38.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.71 CLP 626

94.37%

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

$1.38 CLP 1,222

-5.80%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$17.9K CLP 15.8M

4.67%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$19.3K CLP 17.2M

19.69%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$132 CLP 117.4K

-69.12%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$13.72 CLP 12.2K

95.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$21.76 CLP 19.3K

37.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$38.65 CLP 34.3K

34.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$23.19 CLP 20.6K

15.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.28 CLP 4,682

19.32%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$381 CLP 337.9K

14.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$47.49 CLP 42.1K

19.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$24.53 CLP 21.8K

80.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$61.0 CLP 54.1K

68.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$81.3 CLP 72.2K

29.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$481 CLP 426.6K

112.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$370 CLP 328.2K

70.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$878 CLP 779.2K

143.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$602 CLP 534.4K

106.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,290 CLP 2.0M

70.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Pedro de Atacama: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $481 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $45.00 in San Pedro de Atacama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $231 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 39% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,058 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 $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,587 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $481 in San Pedro de Atacama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $381 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 $45.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,058 in San Pedro de Atacama versus $1,467 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 39% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.