Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Calama Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Calama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $623 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,267 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,912 in Calama.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 109% more expensive than in Calama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Calama 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$7.43 CLP 6,990

60.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$33.77 CLP 31.8K

40.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.12 CLP 1,994

94.34%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.92 CLP 869

52.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.94 CLP 880

-3.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.23 CLP 3,038

-0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$5.30 CLP 4,987

33.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.19 CLP 1,123

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.85 CLP 796

152.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.72 CLP 2,561

-34.93%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$5.01 CLP 4,714

-43.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.51 CLP 8,955

-3.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.57 CLP 6,187

40.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.87 CLP 7,406

60.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.25 CLP 1,173

136.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.09 CLP 1,024

44.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.62 CLP 1,525

37.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.17 CLP 1,101

101.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.99 CLP 934

101.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.04 CLP 982

90.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.34 CLP 5,024

-13.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$4.38 CLP 4,120

140.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.09 CLP 1,026

55.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.29 CLP 1,215

114.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.94 CLP 887

-36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.49 CLP 1,399

144.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.57 CLP 1,480

-1.91%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$42.85 CLP 40.3K

111.60%

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$13.75 CLP 12.9K

130.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$53.1 CLP 50.0K

29.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.07 CLP 19.8K

39.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.87 CLP 4,588

-0.21%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$320 CLP 301.5K

-29.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$38.10 CLP 35.9K

24.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$29.59 CLP 27.9K

46.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$47.34 CLP 44.5K

69.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$64.4 CLP 60.6K

41.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$353 CLP 332.5K

207.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$108 CLP 101.9K

277.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$844 CLP 794.3K

133.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$639 CLP 601.4K

100.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,487 CLP 1.4M

172.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,299 CLP 1.2M

415.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,164 CLP 1.1M

-33.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

129.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Calama: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $353 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $183 per month, with Calama 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

Playa del Carmen vs Calama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 109% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Calama. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $353 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $623 in Calama – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $623 in Calama versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $623 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calama hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.