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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,041 in Chillan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,531 in Chillan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,020 in Chillan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 21% more expensive than in Chillan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Chillan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.49 CLP 5,104

113.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$26.86 CLP 25.0K

55.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.17 CLP 5,737

70.34%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.96 CLP 2,754

21.28%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.92 CLP 853

64.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.94 CLP 877

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.60 CLP 3,349

-17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.24 CLP 3,942

4.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.10 CLP 1,025

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.76 CLP 1,640

6.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.91 CLP 1,777

-18.32%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.91 CLP 3,636

-33.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.75 CLP 7,210

7.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.72 CLP 6,257

24.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.94 CLP 10.2K

-0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.87 CLP 1,743

44.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.52 CLP 1,413

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.54 CLP 1,436

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.51 CLP 1,408

45.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.29 CLP 1,200

44.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.42 CLP 1,320

57.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.27 CLP 1,180

-15.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.21 CLP 1,130

-9.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.35 CLP 4,982

-21.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$3.49 CLP 3,251

198.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.54 CLP 1,434

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.23 CLP 2,072

17.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.67 CLP 624

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.51 CLP 474

503.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.35 CLP 1,257

-2.96%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$12.9K CLP 12.0M

130.58%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$15.8K CLP 14.7M

47.92%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$134 CLP 124.8K

-39.41%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$13.47 CLP 12.5K

67.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$24.22 CLP 22.5K

24.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$16.76 CLP 15.6K

215.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$20.91 CLP 19.5K

-12.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$12.09 CLP 11.2K

-59.31%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$432 CLP 402.0K

-53.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$50.6 CLP 47.1K

-29.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$29.90 CLP 27.8K

34.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$50.5 CLP 46.9K

57.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$66.4 CLP 61.8K

30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$475 CLP 441.9K

105.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$380 CLP 353.4K

23.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$459 CLP 426.8K

260.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$585 CLP 544.1K

105.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$2,520 CLP 2.3M

162.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$698 CLP 649.3K

-3.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.18

120.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chillan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $475 in Chillan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chillan pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $27.00 in Chillan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $219 per month, with Chillan 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 Chillan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Chillan differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $1,041 including rent). Chillan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 3% lower in Chillan. 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $475 in Chillan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,041 in Chillan – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,041 in Chillan versus $1,260 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 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.