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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Playa del Carmen versus $897 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,341 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,786 in Chillan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 41% more expensive than in Chillan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Chillan 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 MX$199

$5.24 CLP 4,945

119.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.90 MX$811

$47.89 CLP 45.2K

-2.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 MX$206

$6.28 CLP 5,925

89.49%

Cappuccino

$4.02 MX$69.6

$3.55 CLP 3,346

13.24%

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

$1.37 MX$23.66

$1.10 CLP 1,034

24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.11

$0.91 CLP 858

-9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 MX$57.1

$1.55 CLP 1,463

112.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 MX$116

$4.69 CLP 4,422

43.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.40

$1.09 CLP 1,028

50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$37.17

$1.75 CLP 1,648

22.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.65

$1.81 CLP 1,712

-2.21%

Eggs

$2.75 MX$47.60

$3.81 CLP 3,599

-27.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 MX$158

$7.17 CLP 6,762

27.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$160

$2.66 CLP 2,510

246.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 MX$215

$8.42 CLP 7,945

47.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$50.2

$1.55 CLP 1,464

87.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.71 CLP 1,614

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.38

$1.30 CLP 1,226

66.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 MX$38.84

$1.06 CLP 1,000

112.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.98

$1.50 CLP 1,411

34.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.96

$1.31 CLP 1,239

54.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$20.66

$1.05 CLP 993

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.63

$1.29 CLP 1,213

-12.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 MX$76.6

$4.71 CLP 4,441

-5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 MX$184

$3.37 CLP 3,178

215.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.01

$1.28 CLP 1,211

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MX$50.2

$2.06 CLP 1,943

40.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.44

$0.64 CLP 608

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.09 MX$503

$37.03 CLP 34.9K

-21.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$92.0

$0.64 CLP 605

731.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.57 MX$61.7

$1.21 CLP 1,138

195.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MX$102

$12.41 CLP 11.7K

-52.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$26.09

$1.38 CLP 1,301

9.42%

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

$22.3K MX$386.6K

$12.7K CLP 12.0M

75.78%

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

$25.7K MX$443.8K

$15.1K CLP 14.3M

69.44%

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

$90.6 MX$1,566

$134 CLP 126.3K

-32.33%

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

$25.44 MX$440

$10.42 CLP 9,833

144.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 MX$530

$23.57 CLP 22.2K

29.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 MX$1,158

$15.86 CLP 15.0K

322.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 MX$510

$16.65 CLP 15.7K

77.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MX$84.9

$11.42 CLP 10.8K

-57.01%

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

$216 MX$3,730

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,125 MX$71.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.02 MX$796

$37.41 CLP 35.3K

23.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.24 MX$765

$19.20 CLP 18.1K

130.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 MX$1,356

$49.74 CLP 46.9K

57.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.0 MX$1,592

$64.7 CLP 61.0K

42.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 MX$18.4K

$317 CLP 299.2K

234.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MX$6,818

$256 CLP 241.9K

53.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,120 MX$36.7K

$458 CLP 432.1K

363.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 MX$21.8K

$331 CLP 312.3K

280.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,072 MX$70.4K

$2,505 CLP 2.4M

62.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,606 MX$114.3K

$2,459 CLP 2.3M

168.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 MX$13.0K

$693 CLP 654.2K

8.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 21, 2026

Last update for Chillan: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,061 in Playa del Carmen and $317 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $48.00 in Chillan. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $183, with Chillan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chillan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Chillan differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $897 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,061 in Playa del Carmen versus $317 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $897 in Chillan – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $897 in Chillan versus $1,265 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chillan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Chillan 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.

Expats usually find Chillan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.