😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $961 in Antofagasta.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,507 in Antofagasta.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,053 in Antofagasta.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 34% more expensive than Antofagasta, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen4% lower, Antofagasta28% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Antofagasta
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$7.36CLP 6,595
62.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$37.18CLP 33.3K
14.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$7.85CLP 7,027
34.90%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$2.86CLP 2,558
26.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$1.31CLP 1,175
12.21%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.97CLP 867
-3.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$1.60CLP 1,430
93.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$4.10CLP 3,677
8.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Antofagasta
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.15CLP 1,028
24.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$1.76CLP 1,574
6.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.30CLP 1,161
25.38%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$2.87CLP 2,573
-8.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$10.08CLP 9,027
-18.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$4.35CLP 3,897
90.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$8.86CLP 7,934
25.28%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$2.11CLP 1,894
25.59%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$2.37CLP 2,125
-36.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$2.56CLP 2,290
-22.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$1.22CLP 1,095
70.49%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$0.96CLP 859
86.46%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$1.00CLP 893
118.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$1.23CLP 1,103
-12.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$1.20CLP 1,076
-13.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$4.90CLP 4,384
-18.98%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$6.32CLP 5,664
61.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.56CLP 1,397
10.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$1.44CLP 1,291
73.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Antofagasta
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$0.63CLP 562
-17.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$0.47CLP 424
568.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$1.41CLP 1,266
-9.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$19.7KCLP 17.6M
57.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$21.4KCLP 19.1M
9.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Antofagasta
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$48.78CLP 43.7K
68.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$10.49CLP 9,397
114.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$13.25CLP 11.9K
123.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Antofagasta
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$43.75CLP 39.2K
18.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
$21.37CLP 19.1K
-12.63%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$5.34CLP 4,781
-6.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Antofagasta
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$268CLP 239.7K
-26.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$3,408CLP 3.1M
54.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Antofagasta
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$40.81CLP 36.6K
-10.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$16.11CLP 14.4K
148.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$61.4CLP 55.0K
30.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$70.6CLP 63.2K
25.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Antofagasta
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$466CLP 417.7K
106.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$371CLP 332.5K
25.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$874CLP 782.5K
82.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$712CLP 638.0K
69.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Antofagasta
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
$769CLP 688.4K
-6.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.18
120.46%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Antofagasta: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $466 in Antofagasta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Antofagasta pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $37.00 in Antofagasta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $213 per month, with Antofagasta cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Antofagasta: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Antofagasta?
Antofagasta wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Antofagasta the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or Antofagasta?
On paper, Antofagasta earns 7% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen vs Antofagasta?
Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $466 in Antofagasta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and Antofagasta?
Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $268 in Antofagasta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Antofagasta?
Dining out is cheaper in Antofagasta – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or Antofagasta?
At $961 in Antofagasta versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Antofagasta but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Antofagasta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Antofagasta?
Both work as nomad bases, but Antofagasta delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $961 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Antofagasta hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Antofagasta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado